


in disguises no one knows

by wrennette



Series: sithnip [8]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: (as created / interpreted by your author), CSI: Jedi, Canon Typical Violence, Grievous typical violence, Jedi Culture, M/M, Mandalorian Culture, Tags will be added as we go, a cameo by Hondo Ohnaka, canon typical maiming, friends and family togetherness, implied past Obitine, sith-hunting, the author attempts Force philosophy, the author attempts writing Mando'a, unrequited Obikin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2018-12-15 20:46:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 43,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11813877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrennette/pseuds/wrennette
Summary: Returning to the Temple with information that just may lead them to the Sith Lord, Obi-Wan finds the Order still wrestling with their purpose. How do you win a war without fighting? How do you defeat the Sith when to play their game is to lose your soul?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> title from blackhole sun by soundgarden. rip chris cornell
> 
> usually i'm mostly done with a fic before i start posting. that is - not the case here. i have quite a few chapters finished, i know more or less how i plan to end it, i am missing quite a few steps in between. wish me luck.

Mace stood out at the front of the small crowd that had gathered to welcome Obi-Wan and Anakin home. The Lineage was all on Coruscant for the moment, and it was whispered that Yoda would soon step down as both Grand Master and Councillor, and name his once Padawan as his replacement on the High Council. Jan had already been sitting in on Council meetings for months when he was on Coruscant. Officially, he was their expert on the clones on Kamino, but all the Councillors were well aware of Yoda’s intentions. 

The Solar Sailor settled neatly into the appointed place in the hanger, thrusters hissing softly. It had been months since Mace had seen his lover in person, and he was practically vibrating in his joy that Obi-Wan was finally home. While they had spoken regularly, it wasn't quite the same, and most of their conversations had centered on Obi-Wan’s findings in their travels. There had been some personal conversation too, but not nearly as much as either man might like.

The ramp lowered, and Obi-Wan strode off, blue eyes sweeping the hanger and lighting on Mace, warming with affection. Anakin sauntered after his mentor, his presence strong as ever, but less chaotic than Mace had remembered. Good. The boy really was learning. Well. Boy no longer. Skywalker was twenty now, years past the Republic age of majority for humans, and from Obi-Wan’s reports, nearly ready to start trialing for Knighthood. The time away from the Temple it seemed, had done the Padawan well, although Mace would, as ever, reserve his judgment.

“Welcome home,” Mace said warmly as Obi-Wan approached. Obi-Wan grinned, reaching up to cup Mace’s cheek. Mace smiled slightly, then leaned down and kissed Obi-Wan there in the open, not caring who might see. Their relationship had never been a secret, but they had been reserved about displaying their affection in public. At the moment though, Mace was much more desirous of having Obi-Wan in his arms in any way possible than he was reticent about broadcasting their love. Obi-Wan kissed back after a brief moment of surprise, leaning up into Mace with a soft hum.

“Missed you too,” Obi-Wan murmured as he pulled away, smiling up at Mace. “Glad to see everyone here and whole.” Mace nodded. Obi-Wan had stayed away from Coruscant after the Separatist strike against Galactic Center months before, so this was the first time he was seeing his friends and family after that attack. Nearly two hundred Jedi had lost their lives; it was no surprise Obi-Wan had worried over his friends and lineage.

“You’ll debrief tomorrow,” Mace said, straightening up and speaking loud enough that Skywalker would know he was included in that directive. “New rules - mandatory health checks on all incoming, and a week’s layoff, plus after action reports with the mind healers,” he warned, and Obi-Wan fought to keep from tensing. He’d already agreed to speak with someone, Obi-Wan reminded himself. And this was just an after action report. They couldn’t take his Padawan away over an after action report, could they?

“I suppose we’ll take ourselves down to the Halls of Healing then,” Obi-Wan mused, and Mace smiled. 

“Jan and Xanatos are hosting late-meal,” Mace warned. Obi-Wan nodded. He had anticipated there might be a meal together with the rest of the Lineage that night. 

“Is Yoda still threatening to step down?” Obi-Wan asked as Mace walked with him to the others. Mace nodded, but didn’t respond verbally as they approached the waiting members of Obi-Wan’s Lineage. 

“Welcome home Nobes,” Bruck greeted. 

“It’s good to be back,” Obi-Wan returned, smiling at Bruck, then Ahsoka, who had shot up a few centimetres. “Hello Ahsoka, keeping your Master in line?”

“The best I can,” Ahsoka said with a sly smile, and Bruck pouted at her, causing Ahsoka to giggle quietly behind her hand, lekku twitching with amusement. After everyone had been greeted, they dispersed, Mace walking with Obi-Wan and Anakin towards the Halls of Healing. 

“I’d ask about the attack but I have feeling it would take longer than our journey,” Obi-Wan said, and Mace laughed softly, nodding. The sound was strained, and entirely unamused. 

“It was not my first battle,” Mace said wryly. “I have fought, but I am not meant for war,” he admitted. “Your words to the Council were desperately needed Obi-Wan. With that strike so near us, and so many killed, we lost sight of the bigger picture for a while. But it was all we could do just to protect ourselves, the Senate, and Chancellery that day. If we were to arm ourselves for a war on the scale that the hawkbats are anticipating, we would be utterly lost.”

“I am glad then to have been a voice of reason,” Obi-Wan said. He squeezed Mace’s bicep gently then looped his hand around Mace’s forearm. “Will we be deployed as refugee relief?” 

“The Senate is attempting to draft us in any way possible,” Mace said darkly. “Whether that be as mediators, Generals, investigators, spies, or yes, refugee relief.” He sighed. “We’ve been looking over the Reformation Acts with very close eyes. Technically, we’re the obligation of the Chancellor rather than the Senate, but that doesn’t inspire a great deal of faith in me. Palpatine - I can’t say. He just - he’s a sleemo of the first order.” Obi-Wan barked in surprised laughter to hear _that_ slur from Mace. 

“I rather agree,” Obi-Wan admitted. “I can never quite put my finger on the reason why, but he makes my skin crawl. And the way he looks at Anakin - no, I’d prefer to get us out from under his jurisdiction if at all possible. I understand the rationale of the Order’s submission to the Senate, or Chancellery as the case may be. But it - well. Perhaps it too falls under the heading of things grandmaster would say were developed to fight the last war, rather than prepare for the next. 

“I know he’s long derided the fact that all our intelligence is gained from dossiers that pass through others hands before arriving before us. He holds such solely responsible for the mess at Galidraan. Well - solely responsible may be overstating it, but you know what I mean,” Obi-Wan rambled with a wave of the hand. Mace smiled. Obi-Wan was tired, that was clear. Mace only hoped it was nothing more, although he doubted Skywalker would be so quiet if Obi-Wan was hurt or ill. If nothing else, Skywalker was protective of Obi-Wan. 

“I leave you here,” Mace said when they approached the entrance to the Halls of Healing, and Obi-Wan sighed, but nodded. “It’s not so bad as all that,” Mace encouraged. “Just to make sure no one picks up any nasty parasites or brings home exotic germs.” Obi-Wan grumbled, but pushed past him into the Halls. Mace rolled his eyes, then shared an unexpected look of commiseration with Skywalker, as if the Padawan wasn’t just as bad as the Master.

An hour or so later, Obi-Wan emerged from the Halls of Healing, grumpy but cleared. He was followed out shortly by Anakin. Mostly their visits had involved updating their medical files with injuries incurred while away from the Temple, although Obi-Wan also got a reminder that he was due (or overdue) for quite a few routine tests, and the Healers made a follow up for later in the week to look more closely at Anakin’s residual arm, prosthetic, and neural interface implants.

“Let’s go unpack Padawan mine,” Obi-Wan suggested, and Anakin nodded, flexing his prosthetic idly. Mentally, he was already cataloguing parts and thinking about how the mechanics could be improved. With the mandatory layoff, he’d have a few days to tinker in the machine shop before starting intensive drills to modify his combat reactions to better accommodate the prosthetic. 

“I ran into Anu, that’s part of why I took so long,” Anakin said after a few minutes as they walked back towards the residential areas of the Temple. “Xe said xe’ll be the one doing my after action sessions too, so that my files all stay in the same place and I’m dealing with someone who I know and feel a bit more ready to trust.”

“That - that’s good,” Obi-Wan said, his own apprehension kicking back in. “I know I don’t ask often about your sessions, I don’t want to intrude. But remember that my door is always open too.”

“A little too open sometimes,” Anakin groused. “I could really do without you and Windu sucking face in public.”

“Excuse you,” Obi-Wan said dryly. “Sucking face? Really? I can’t be happy to see my lover?”

“I mean, you can, just - gross,” Anakin grumped, and Obi-Wan laughed. 

“Too bad,” Obi-Wan said blithely.

“Ugh, I know,” Anakin complained fondly. “At least it’s not as bad as watching Savage make eyes at you for like, a month on end.”

“He did not,” Obi-Wan denied, even as he flushed slightly. 

“Uh, did so,” Anakin argued, totally unconcerned with the fact that he sounded like a bratty Initiate when he used that tone of voice. “He was utterly smitten with you Obi-Wan. The poor guy lit up every time you addressed him.” Obi-Wan’s flush deepened, but he shook his head. “He was totally head over heels,” Anakin continued smugly. 

“I’m not going to argue with you,” Obi-Wan sighed. “Let’s go unpack, then you can find your friends if they’re in Temple. Do start thinking about our report to the Council though. We have a great deal to cover.” 

Anakin nodded, and when they reached their rooms each went about their routines. Obi-Wan shoved all of his laundry into the chute, then took a long hot shower before seeing if any of his own friends were in Temple. Bant was assigned to the Kamino outpost, Siri was off world with no location specified, and Quinlan the same. It was entirely likely that they’d been pulled into the investigations of the Sith, as that was the Order’s highest priority mission. Garen, Taria, and Reeft were all in the Temple though, although Taria and Garen were listed on education rotations, so they might not be available. Still, they were listed, which meant they were alive. Obi-Wan had received messages, but further affirmation was a comfort. Decision made, he tapped Reeft's name and opened a frequency.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan learns more about the attack on Coruscant and has dinner with the fam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jedi Apprentice series has been added to the fandoms due to presence of Jedi Apprentice characters, but your author humbly reminds you that her knowledge of that series is entirely fanon and wookiepedia, and that this is all hella AU.

“So how bad?” Obi-Wan asked after they’d made the requisite smalltalk, and Reeft let out a low breath of dismay. Obi-Wan had grimly noted the physical remainders of the attack on their return to the Temple. Dark smoke still hung heavily over the Senate Dome and some of the poorer districts were still smouldering. Blaster burns scored the stone edifice of the Jedi Temple, and there were rumours of battledroids still being found in the underworld. Reports said there was still widespread rioting and looting in the lower levels, and long unused portions of the Jedi Temple were months later being used as refuges for those who had lost their homes. 

“Bad,” Reeft admitted solemnly. “They put anyone with combat experience on the streets. We lost nearly a hundred Sentinels from the Temple Guard alone. It was - utter chaos Obi-Wan. I mean - I was here in the Temple during the Yinchorri Uprising bombing, and the incursion - it was bad. But this - it felt - it felt more personal,” the Dressellian admitted. “I mean - we all knew fairly early on that the Yinchorri were being manipulated.”

“And I have a feeling who was doing the manipulating,” Obi-Wan said darkly.

“You really think the Sith has been working that long?” Reeft asked, taking another sweet from the plate between them. Obi-Wan shrugged noncommittally. 

“I think so,” Obi-Wan said. “Grandmaster Dooku certainly does. I don’t have strong evidence, but this plot has been in the works for generations. Yinchorr wasn’t that long before Naboo. I imagine a great deal of unrest in the galaxy can be tied indirectly if not clearly to the machinations of the Sith.” 

“That’s rather daunting,” Reeft admitted. “But also sort of reassuring? I mean, that means that if we finally eliminate the Sith, everything else gets easier, right?”

“I wouldn’t bank on it,” Obi-Wan said with a wry smile. “I wish it were so, but I doubt it will work that way.”

“Ugh,” Reeft sighed, pushing Obi-Wan gently. Obi-Wan just shrugged. As much as he might wish for such a neat solution, the likelihood was slim.

“Besides, you’d just get bored,” Obi-Wan teased, and Reeft snorted. “Fatalities?”

“Jedi fatalities? Nearly two hundred, around half that from the Temple Guard, others in the strike force that went to the Senate. Over fifty Senators were executed, most with their staffs. There are a lot of worlds calling for war. On top of that, there were hundreds more, Jedi and civilian alike, injured, and a lot of stress reactions,” Reeft said. “That’s why the Council has imposed the new after action rules. There was a class of Senior Padawans touring the Senate Dome for class. They saved a lot of lives, as did Bruck and Luminara and their Padawans.”

“Wait, Lumi has a Padawan?!” Obi-Wan asked in surprise. 

“Mmmhmm, they bonded not long after you left for Dathomir I think. Barriss Offee, another Mirialan. Her and Bruck’s Padawan seem to be good friends, they were in the same clan in the creche,” Reeft explained. 

“Huh,” Obi-Wan said, then grinned. “Does that mean you’ll get a Padawan soon? Siri has Ferus, Aayla’s a Knight already….”

“No thanks, too much responsibility for me,” Reeft laughed. Obi-Wan shook his head. 

“And Garen?” Obi-Wan asked, Reeft shook his head.

“No Padawan yet. He’s busy getting the starfighter program up and running with Master Rhara,” Reeft said. “He’s teaching Astrogation and a bunch of other stuff currently, so we make sure to have a meal together every so often. Taria’s teaching too, fitness and combat classes, and general education at the Initiate level. I think if she wasn’t always putting her name in the queue for off world missions, she might take a Padawan, but she doesn’t want to be Temple bound during the initial stretch.” Obi-Wan nodded. Taria was constantly moving from one mission to another, refusing to let her chronic illness slow her down. 

“Well, I’m told I have a week down time before I can put us back in the mission queue, and frankly it may take that long and longer to compile everything into a coherent report for the archives. I’ll send around a message to see who we can get together for a late-meal,” Obi-Wan said. “I wish I could catch up longer today, but grandmaster and Xan are hosting a Lineage supper. I’ll be around for the next week though with the enforced downtime, provided the mind healers are willing to let me go after tomorrow’s after action.” Reeft snorted. 

“It’s not so bad. Mostly they just make sure you’re not carrying around unnecessary guilt,” Reeft encouraged. Obi-Wan grimaced, but nodded. He found one of the quieter gardens and meditated for a bit, trying to release his anxieties into the Force. Anakin was doing better. Mind healers were not the enemy. He sighed as an alert on his chrono drew him back to awareness, and he rose. With the rest of his afternoon unplanned, Obi-Wan settled into quarters and began writing up his official mission report. 

The important points had all been related to the Council that morning, including his praise of Anakin’s restraint, and the improvement of his Padawan’s emotional control even in a situation that was a psychological minefield for him. Obi-Wan was well aware that slavery was still very much a difficult topic for Anakin, likely one that Anakin would be confronting for the rest of his life, and understandably so. But Anakin had been able to act rationally despite the muffling presence of the Dark on Dathomir, despite the fierce anger that burned in him at the enslavement of the Nightbrothers. Obi-Wan’s written report would reflect all of that and more, the details and background that didn’t quite make it into his verbal report. 

Hours later, Obi-Wan looked up in slight startlement as Anakin blew into the apartment. He had clearly been doing something physically strenuous, his short hair ruffled and uniform sweat spotted. Anakin stopped short, blinking slightly at Obi-Wan in equal surprise. Obi-Wan remained silent, raising an eyebrow in enquiry. 

“I just wasn’t expecting you to be home,” Anakin admitted. “You said you were meeting up with Jedi Reeft.”

“I saw him earlier,” Obi-Wan said. “I was just working on my written report before late-meal.” Anakin nodded, then hesitated in the doorway of his room. 

“Is Mace staying over tonight?” Anakin asked. Obi-Wan flushed slightly. 

“I honestly hadn’t thought about that yet,” Obi-Wan admitted. “If that’s alright with you, then yes, I probably will invite him to sleep here, but he may not be able to stay over.” Anakin nodded, and shrugged. 

“He makes you happy,” Anakin said. “Just because I’m not his biggest fan doesn’t mean you shouldn’t spend time together.” Obi-Wan smiled at that. 

“That’s very mature of you,” Obi-Wan said, and Anakin visibly took a moment to stare at Obi-Wan and make sure he wasn’t teasing, then smiled almost shyly and shuffled off to gather a few things and then shower. Checking his chrono, Obi-Wan realised it wouldn’t be long until they were due for late-meal at grandmaster’s. Given the last time the Lineage had eaten together, Yoda had announced his intention to retire, Obi-Wan was slightly apprehensive. With the Republic truly in crisis, their Order needed a clear sighted leader more than ever. 

From what Obi-Wan remembered of his history lessons though, electing a new Grand Master could take weeks if not months. The position was much more than symbolic, and the Grand Master was always accorded a seat on the High Council, even if they hadn’t been a Councillor prior to their assumption of the position. Every Jedi in the Order at the rank of Padawan and above was entitled to vote for Grand Master. There were no nominations, and after each round of voting if there wasn’t a supermajority of three-quarters of the Order, the matter would be put to the vote once more. Sometimes in the past, the position has been vacant for years at a time. Obi-Wan wasn’t certain they could afford such a long period without a Grand Master if the Separatists really were intent on war.

With a sigh, Obi-Wan rose from the table where he’d been working and gathered together his scattered datachips and ‘pads. Tucking his stylus behind his ear, he padded back to his room to dress properly. After deciding to stay in and write that afternoon, he’d taken off his belts, boots, tabards and outer tunics, warm enough and much more comfortable in just his under tunics and leggings. Knowing Anakin, the ‘fresher would only be available approximately five minutes before they had to leave the apartment, so Obi-Wan simply shrugged back into the rest of his uniform and combed back his hair, then shoved on his boots and buckled on his belt before settling in to read for a little bit longer. 

When they arrived at late-meal, Ventress opened the door. A soft fuzz of pale blonde hair had grown over her skull, hiding the burst blood vessels and curling tattoos that advertised her previous use of the Dark side. She had gained some much needed weight too, softening her sharp features appreciably. She wore a deep blue form fitting top and ankle length split skirts over black leggings, not terribly unlike the garb some Mirialans in the Order favoured. A slightly longer tail of hair behind her ear was bound with white silk floss and terminated with a bright green bead. Usually that shade was awarded for proficiency with the Living Force. Obi-Wan nodded in greeting. 

“Padawan Ventress,” Obi-Wan said, and she sniffed, stepping back silently to let them enter. Within, Mace and Jan were talking very seriously in one corner, likely about Council business. Yoda was telling tall tales to Ahsoka, and Bruck was rolling his eyes at the Grand Master’s utter shamelessness. Mace looked over at the newcomers first, dark eyes softening when he caught sight of Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan smiled in return, and made his way over to insinuate himself against Mace’s side. 

“Hello,” Mace greeted softly. 

“Hello,” Obi-Wan returned, leaning up for a chaste kiss. “Grandmaster,” he greeted next, and kissed Dooku’s bristly cheek. “You and Xanatos have made a lovely home.” Dooku flushed slightly at the compliment. 

“All Xanatos’ doing,” Jan deflected. For the most part, it was true too. The furnishings of their shared quarters were simple but elegant, giving the space a quiet sort of grace. Xanatos appeared from the Masters’ shared bedroom as if summoned by his name, blue eyes searching his partner out immediately. “Darling,” Jan greeted, and Xanatos returned a soft bus of the mouth. 

“Little brother,” Xanatos greeted Obi-Wan. 

“Worst brother,” Obi-Wan returned with a fond smile, and they embraced briefly before returning to their partners sides. “If you’re both here, who’s in the kitchen?”

“Please you know I don’t cook,” Xanatos scoffed. 

“And if you think Yoda taught me how to make anything other than stewed beetles,” Jan joked, and Obi-Wan chortled softly. “No, we called down to the refectory, they’re sending a droid up,” Jan admitted with a negligent handwave. “Asajj is turning into a fairly good cook, but we didn’t want to impose a meal for this many on her.”

“She’s settling in well, then?” Obi-Wan asked. 

“Well, that might be overstating it,” Jan said with a sigh of fond exasperation. “She doesn’t exactly play well with others, although she seems to be making a few friends with the female Knights, and gets on well enough with Ahsoka.”

“Constant bickering, rather reminds me of you and Bruck,” Xanatos agreed. 

“Oh dear,” Obi-Wan comisserated. 

“She was rather thrilled to hear about your escapades on Dathomir,” Jan said, and Obi-Wan laughed softly. 

“I imagine she might have been, given the method in which she left the place,” Obi-Wan said wryly. “I rather wonder what her and Anakin will make of one another.”

“Hopefully not mincemeat,” Mace said darkly, startling a laugh out of Obi-Wan. They talked desultorily a little while longer, until the housekeeping droid arrived from the refectory with a cart full of trays. Everything was soon laid out on the low table, and they knelt down around. 

“Before we eat,” Xanatos interjected, and they settled, looking to their hosts. “First, welcome home Obi-Wan, Anakin. You’ve been missed, although certainly not by me,” he said, raising his glass with a smile. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and toasted in return. “Second, congratulations to my grandpadawan, who is recently returned from Shili as an acknowledged Huntress.” They toasted Ahsoka, who grinned broadly, tilting her head to show off her gleaming akul-tooth headdress. “And third, congratulations to my Padawan who has only been slapped twice this month by Senators.”

“Hey!” Bruck whinged, and Ashoka crowed with laughter. “Informed on by my own Padawan,” Bruck pouted, to which Ahsoka nodded enthusiastically. 

“I did promise I would keep you in line Master,” Ahsoka said with mock seriousness, and Obi-Wan laughed with the others. They talked of inconsequential things at first, but it was inevitable that the attack by the Separatists would come up. Jan and Asajj had remained in the Temple communications center for the duration of the strike; as the most familiar with the Separatists military strength and tactics, they were of most use there, strategizing the defenses. 

Bruck and Ahsoka had been in the Dome, guarding Senator Amidala, and had been in the heaviest of the fighting. The Senator, Ahsoka boasted, had carried herself quite well. Obi-Wan couldn’t help but flash back to more than a decade before, to the fierce child queen of Naboo, surrounded by her loyal Queensguard, all of them blasters in hand. Bruck and Ahsoka hadn’t been the only Jedi in the Senate, and the few Jedi there had been what turned the tide against the first wave of Separatist droids, although they had a great deal of assistance from Judicial and the Senate Security Forces. 

The attack, Jan reported, was lead by General Grievous, a cyborg of obscure origin with a vicious vendetta against the Jedi Order. He had been supported by a handful of other sentient Generals, only two of whom, Whorm Loathsom and Lok Durd, Dooku knew by name. They had commanded a staggering number of droids furnished by the Trade Federation and Techno Union. A strike force of nearly 500 Jedi had gone to defend the Dome once the attack was underway, led by Mace and two of his former Padawans, Depa Billaba and Echuu Shen-Jon.

With the Temple nearly emptied of fighters, the second wave could have destroyed the future of the Order if the droids had pierced the outer defenses. The Temple Guard had died almost to a being to keep their home and future safe, and there had been a pyre nearly every night since the attack. Echuu had been gravely injured protecting his Padawan at the Senate dome, and he was far from the only casualty among the Knights and Masters there. 

The violence, Mace said grimly, had been utterly senseless. The droids had caused carnage, and had attacked anyone and everyone that crossed their paths. While there had been deaths in the Senate Dome, there had been even more in the surrounding district as the droids killed civilians wholesale. The Separatists, it seemed, had deemed total war an acceptable strategy.

Talk of the attack went on late into the night. Bruck and Ahsoka left before too late, and Anakin bowed out not long after, rather to Obi-Wan’s surprise. With a weeks layoff though, it was possible he had evening plans with his agemates. Obi-Wan had begun letting him come and go as he pleased when Anakin came of age at eighteen, and while there had been quite a few unfortunate situations as a result, it had been some time since Obi-Wan had to bail Anakin out of a drunk tank or drag him away from an illegal speeder race or cantina brawl.

“So Anakin gave me permission to have you over tonight,” Obi-Wan murmured in Mace’s ear as conversation began to wind down. It was either exceptionally late or horrendously early, Obi-Wan wasn’t entirely certain which. 

“And I rearranged my schedule so I have the next few days off,” Mace murmured back, which led to them rather hurriedly making their excuses and traipsing back up to Obi-Wan’s rooms. 

“New rule, no belt or boots allowed when we’re at home,” Obi-Wan declared as they crossed the threshold, already fumbling with his own belt. 

“Excellent rule, I second,” Mace said very seriously, and Obi-Wan kissed him laughingly, then dragged him to bed. 

“Missed you,” Obi-Wan murmured. “Missed you so much Mace.”

“I missed you too baby,” Mace growled, and set about skimming Obi-Wan out of his clothing and then slowly, lovingly, taking him apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Echuu Shen-Jon is another canonical Padawan of Mace’s I could find a name for.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan settles back in at the Temple and with Mace, and gets to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m pretty sure that Sifo-Dyas is actually the correct spelling but I’m forgoing the hyphen and using Sifo as his given name and Dyas as his family name or surname. Because I can.
> 
> There will be a higher rated Mace/Obi-Wan sidefic that takes place parallel to the main arc during Obi-Wan's week of furlough.

“So you really gave yourself the week off?” Obi-Wan asked Mace in the morning as they sipped tea in bed. 

“I really did,” Mace said with an indulgent smile. 

“Abuse of power,” Obi-Wan teasingly scolded, and Mace scoffed. “Do you have any plans for us?”

“Depa and Sar want to get together tomorrow, but other than that, not really. We may end up Padawan sitting a bit for Echuu, but Stam is pretty self sufficient, and has class and such to occupy his time. Walks in the garden, I’d like to spar with you a bit since no one else puts up much a fight,” Mace said with a smile, then shrugged. “Spend as much time in bed as is possible.” Obi-Wan chuckled softly at that, leaning up to kiss along the line of Mace’s jaw. 

“Those all sound like excellent plans,” Obi-Wan opined. “Any preferences for where we start?” 

Mace gave him a speaking look, and Obi-Wan laughed with delight as he was tumbled gently into the mattress and thoroughly kissed. They made love again, slow and steady, looking deep into one another’s eyes as they sought ecstasy. After, they showered together, then headed down to the salles to spar. As always, their bout brought out spectators of every stripe, and they put on a spectacular show for the onlookers. Violet and azure blades clashed and caught again and again and again, Mace always attacking, Obi-Wan deftly defending. That day ended in a victory for Obi-Wan, who simply wore down and outlasted his opponent, who had gotten a bit out of practice at facing the tight defenses of Obi-Wan’s practiced Form III. 

Their afternoon walk in the arid gardens was interrupted by Plo Koon and Shaak Ti, and while some of what they discussed Obi-Wan thought was Council business, they included him as well as Mace. It was a little less recreational than Obi-Wan and Mace might have hoped for an off-duty day, but an enjoyable, at least in parts, conversation as well. Obi-Wan didn’t begrudge the time spent on these matters, he just regretted how much responsibility weighed Mace down.

Obi-Wan knew from discussions with his Lineage-brother and grandmaster that MedCorps and EduCorps installations had been posted to Kamino, but it seemed both Master Koon and Master Ti had spent some time there as well in the past months, offering third and fourth opinions on the education and living situations of the clones. Master Koon had also worked extensively with the vode being trained as pilots in conjunction with some of the other pilot specialist Jedi. There had been some conflict between Jango Fett and the various Jedi, but that was to be expected. It was interesting too to hear about the troopers, and about Jan and Xanatos’ relationships with them, from another perspective.

Obi-Wan worked on his report a little bit more that afternoon, with Mace reading on the sofa behind him - the Korun had mentioned something about a varactyl breeding program somewhere in the Outer Rim, and Obi-Wan had nodded and turned back to his datapad. The article sounded interesting, but Obi-Wan wanted to finish a bit more work before he succumbed to pleasure reading. Anakin was off with friends, or perhaps with Bruck and Ahsoka. With the fierce little Togruta acting as mediator, Bruck and Anakin actually got on fairly well, if only because they both adored Ahsoka. 

Having put in a grocery order with the Quartermaster almost as soon as they returned, Obi-Wan made late-meal for himself and Mace, just a simple dish of rice, ‘shrimpy’ flavoured protein cubes, and sauteed vegetables. Anakin appeared when they were halfway through, plopping down at the table and helping himself. Mace nodded in greeting around his mouth full of food. 

“Uh, sorry, hi,” Anakin mumbled with a blush after nearly choking on a mouthful of food when he realized Mace was sitting next to Obi-Wan and he had probably interrupted an intimate dinner. “Lost track of time, sorry.”

“It’s fine, I made plenty,” Obi-Wan said with a smile. “You had a good day?”

“Mmmhmmm, been in the machine shop working on upgrades,” Anakin said, waving his prosthetic in indication. While it was still mostly the bulky creation he’d been fitted with on Almas, Obi-Wan could already see places where it had been streamlined and made more efficient. “Then helped ‘Soka with some of her engineering homework, she’s pretty clever,” Anakin said with a nod. “I think she’s got a crush on her friend Barriss.”

“She’s thirteen, I would be more surprised if she didn’t,” Obi-Wan said dryly. Anakin conceded the point. Thirteen was a pretty hormonal age. He was eminently glad to have (mostly) outgrown that. 

The next week, for Obi-Wan, was mostly spent with Mace, some of it at the Councillor’s quarters, other times in Obi-Wan and Anakin’s apartment. While they used the time to reconnect physically - and with great enthusiasm - they also used the downtime to talk about their future, apart, together, and as members of the Order. Neither could imagine life as anything but a Jedi, but Mace was worn down by his years as Master of the Order, and Yoda’s intention to step down sounded more and more attractive each time he thought about it. 

Obi-Wan couldn’t help but agree that Mace deserved a bit less responsibility; he’d been a fairly young Knight when he was raised to the Council, and not much older when he became Master of the Order. Some of Obi-Wan’s reasons were a bit selfish, he readily admitted. But he also saw the strain that Mace’s responsibilities placed on the Korun. Mace’s decision then to step down as Master of the Order was something of a relief for them both. Just stating the intention to Obi-Wan eased something in Mace.

Anakin was in and out of the apartment during their downtime, and Obi-Wan was quietly pleased to learn that the two main uses of his Padawan’s time were sparring with Ahsoka and Bruck when they weren’t on duty at the Senate, and assisting with the refuges. Obi-Wan’s old crechemate Reeft was one of the Jedi managing the refuges opened up in the unused areas of the Temple after the Separatist attacks, and by his accounts they could use every hand offered in assistance. Even months on, much of the lower level housing still hadn’t been rebuilt, and many still had no place to go. The Jedi had publicly announced though, that they would keep the areas of refuge open as long as they were needed.

While there had been an initial outpouring of support for those housed indefinitely in the Temple, and while there was still a great deal of support in terms of Order resources, Reeft was always looking for other Jedi to volunteer their time in the refuges, just speaking with those who sought shelter there, playing with their younglings or mediating disagreements or helping repair ancient air handlers or waterworks. Anakin was quickly a favorite, and found he very much enjoyed the unassuming joy the younglings there exhibited whenever he came to keep them company. Even if Anakin had gone down with the express purpose of repairing old droids in the refuges, the younglings would trail after him wide eyed, and he would soon find himself playing as much as working. 

Obi-Wan was happy to see his Padawan doing something so constructive in his mandatory time off, and even more pleased by the joy Anakin exhibited in the duty. In the evenings when their paths crossed, they quietly discussed whether Anakin might like to take more shifts in the creche once they were officially back on duty. It was something Anu had suggested at the start of Anakin’s treatment, and an activity that Bruck had performed for years, originally as part of his probation and later as a method of self-care. 

Minding the younglings had served Bruck well, their adulation feeding his need for acknowledgement, and their eagerness to learn keeping him humble and honest. Anu, and Anakin too if he was honest, were hoping that it would likewise help Anakin gain perspective and integrate more fully into the Order. Anakin rather liked the idea, and agreed to test it out. His first week back on duty, he would spend much of his time in the creche, playing with and teaching the younglings. 

When Obi-Wan was back on the duty roster, he was pulled back into the investigations of the Sith. He didn’t mind, he wanted to see the investigation through to the very end. For the moment, that meant meetings to go over what they already knew and what they needed to find out. The first of these was scheduled for the afternoon of the very first day Obi-Wan was activated from furlough. 

“So, Sith-hunters now in session,” Quinlan said with a roguish smile as he tapped on the holorecorder the first time the investigative group gathered. “In attendance, Master Quinlan Vos, speaking, Master Even Piell, Master Jan Dooku, his Padawan Asajj Ventress, Master Mace Windu, Master Plo Koon, Master Tera Sinube, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Master Archivist Jocasta Nu. Master Dooku has the floor first.” Obi-Wan and Anakin had been back in Temple for just over a week, and were officially back on duty. Anakin was currently with Healer Anu, and this meeting - this meeting was being kept very quiet. 

“Thank you Master Vos,” Jan said with a sharp look at the younger Master, who responded with an impudent wink. “Concerning the production of clones on Kamino, the contract was created and signed by Master Sifo Dyas, late of the Jedi Order. He specified the total number of clones to be produced, and that they would fall under the jurisdiction of the Jedi Order, but gave very few other specifications at the time of the contract being agreed upon. 

“Master Dyas was advanced the funding for the contract in full in a lump sum by Damask Holdings, signed off by Magister Hego Damask. The contract did specify the rate of aging to ensure the vode were old enough to form a competent fighting force by a specified date, but the source of the genetic material was unnamed at that time. It specified manner and duration of training, but there were numerous loopholes that the Sith were later able to utilize. Shortly after placing this order, Master Dyas was contacted by the former Chancellor, Finis Valorum, and undertook a mission for him to negotiate with the Pyke Syndicate on Oba Diah without the knowledge or consent of the High Council. Shortly after his arrival on Oba Diah, Master Dyas was assigned by the High Council to negotiate peace on Felucia, but never arrived there. 

“We have subsequently found the debris field and impact crater where Master Dyas’ ship went down, and in it a droid whose memory banks although corrupted have provided us with what little we know about Master Dyas’ last days. I believe that the fragmentation of the memory is evidence of tampering by the Pyke Syndicate agents that shot down his shuttle. The former Chancellor’s aide, Silman, survived the subsequent crash, but not his captivity on the moon of Oba Diah. Magister Damask also died suspiciously close in time to Master Dyas, passing away in his sleep when the government changed over,” Jan narrated from his datapad. “I can go into more detail as needed on several of those points, but I thought it best to give an overview first.”

“It’s appreciated,” Mace assured. 

“Obi-Wan?” Quin asked, seeing Obi-Wan shift slightly at the mention of Hego Damask.

“Yes, we have a common point in Damask Holdings,” Obi-Wan said, nodding in thanks at being tapped to speak next. “We may need to go into further depth on Magister Damask, but for now, I will give the brief summary of my findings on the Dathomiri Zabrak known as Darth Maul. He was born Maul Opress to a Nightsister of Dathomir named Kycina. Kycina already had an older son, Savage Opress, who is now in training at Almas Academy. 

“Some of this is rather vague, as the record keeping on Dathomir was not complete. Maul was given to a human male at about two years of age. His mother knew that her son was likely to be enslaved otherwise, and thought giving him up would benefit the youngling by ensuring he was raised free. At that point, Maul had already been subjected to certain Dark rituals coinciding with the tattooing of his lineage as is traditional among the Nightbrothers.

“Due to Dathomir being under a strict interdiction order, we have clear records of official visits to the surface during that time period. It is possible that a smuggler was able to reach the planet without our notice, but highly unlikely that such a person was the one to whom Kycina entrusted her son. A relief mission organized by the Republic landed there around the right period of time, and there were a number of human males who set foot on Dathomir. 

“I’m still chasing down leads there, but many of them are highly influential figures, including a handful of Senators, the current Chancellor, and members of various corporate guilds. None so far have any adopted children in the public records, but there’s nothing to say that the person who brought Maul off Dathomir wasn’t merely an intermediary, and it’s likely that we’ll find little official record of Maul in that direction. If we can determine whose hands he passed through though, that would be a valuable lead.

“There was a boy matching his description at the Orsis Academy some years ago, delivered by a figure who did not reveal himself, and tuition paid through a rather labyrinthine trail that eventually leads back to our friends at Damask Holdings. As you all know, Orsis has since been destroyed, and the records with it. What little we can piece together there comes from the few surviving eyewitnesses. 

“They have implied if not stated outright that Maul was the one to destroy Orsis, although perhaps under duress. Evidently he had been - fitting in well there, and was a promising student,” Obi-Wan said drily, and the others grimaced. Orsis trained assassins, killers one and all. Maul fitting in there was perhaps to be expected of the Sith though. “Damask Holdings comes up repeatedly after that in Maul’s trail through the Outer Rim, although again through a series of proxies and shell companies. Damask paid his room, board, transportation, and entrance and medical fees at a number of gladiatorial arenas.”

“We definitely need to look at Damask,” Quinlan murmured, and the others made quiet sounds of agreement. 

“The Banking Clan has extensive dealings with Hutts, Bando Gora and other criminal syndicates and cartels,” Tera Sinube wheezed out. The ancient Cosian was an expert on the underworld of Coruscant, and therefore the galaxy, as nearly every shadowy enterprise had attempted to horn in on the profits possible at Galactic Center once or twice.

“The Sojourn Gatherings inevitably drew representatives of both criminal and corrupt if legitimate businesses, all trying to profit off one another. Damask may not have been a murderer himself, although we can’t say for certain, but he certainly associated with known criminals and facilitated a great deal of illegal activity. He profited greatly from the schemes that led to the downfall of King Veruna, an introduction garnered from our current Chancellor,” Sinube continued. 

“Damask spoke to Sifo on Serenno, do you remember, Jan?” Jocasta asked. 

“I remember,” Jan said, eyes narrowing. “He had antagonized Qui-Gon earlier, then managed to get me onto the topic of the rot already present in the Senate even then. That was what - twenty years ago now? He spoke to us both of similar things again more than once, oft in the company of the current Chancellor.”

“Who, if I remember correctly, was linked at least somewhat to Veruna,” Obi-Wan said. Jocasta and Jan both nodded. Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes at his grandmaster. There was more there, but he knew that Dooku was recalcitrant on the topic of the Sith Lord for a reason. “Should we look into that death further? Either of them, Veruna or Damask?”

“Yes, I believe we must,” Even Piell said gruffly, and the others nodded, feeling the rightness of that action. Jan hesitated, but he too agreed. Obi-Wan took this as an indication that they were on the correct, if perilous, path toward identifying the Sith Lord. “And Palpatine. If he’s corrupt, if there’s a possibility he knew about Damask Holdings pulling these sorts of strings behind the scenes - he’s in position to do a great deal of damage to the Republic even if he’s otherwise unconnected to the matter.”

“We’ll have to be very careful,” Obi-Wan said seriously. “I despise the man, but he’s nothing if not clever, and incredibly ambitious although he hides it well behind that grandfatherly facade. He also knows we’ve been looking into Maul already. It might do to make some sort of resolution available to the public so it looks as though the investigation is fully closed, rather than looking at other paths.”

“You really think - the Chancellor? I don’t like the arrogant bastard either, but you think a Sith could hide that close and avoid notice?” Mace asked somewhat incredulously.

“I’m not accusing anyone of being the Sith,” Obi-Wan said firmly, watching his grandmaster carefully. “Not on speculation and hearsay anyway. But he’s clearly been at least peripherally involved with some questionable activities. It’s worth looking into, if only so we can clear him of suspicion.” Mace sighed, then nodded. 

“Anything else for today?” Quinlan asked as the silence lengthened. Obi-Wan shook his head. Silent negatives circled the table. “Alright. Master Dooku, Master Kenobi, if you’d circulate your notes and such, it would be appreciated.” Both Jedi nodded, and the gathering soon broke up. Obi-Wan and Mace left together, heading for the refectory and mid-meal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stam Reath is Echuu Shen-Jon’s canon Padawan, and therefore Mace’s canon grand-padawan. According to wookieepedia, he died in the arena on Geonosis. Thankfully, that didn’t happen in this verse, so Stam is still alive and Echuu hasn’t Fallen. 
> 
> Sar Labooda is Depa’s blood sister, and also a Jedi. In canon she also died on Geonosis, but that bit of canon has already been bypassed so she is alive and wanting to meet her ‘uncle’ Mace’s boyfriend.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuations of the great sith-hunt, as it were

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm not entirely happy with this chapter, it feels a bit filler-y to me, but part of that is setting things up for later on, and i eventually got to the point where i felt like working on it wasn't making it any better, so i should stop before i made it worse :/

“I’m going to announce my intention to step down as Master of the Order today in Council,” Mace warned. Obi-Wan nodded. Mace had brought it up during Obi-Wan’s week of mandatory down-time after Obi-Wan had returned to the Temple. Just thinking about handing off that responsibility made Mace feel about twenty years younger; he’d barely been Knighted it felt, before he was brought onto the High Council and made Master of the Order. For all that the Jedi were his family and he was honoured to care for them in that capacity, he was also tired, and wanted to raise another Padawan or two and enjoy quiet times with Obi-Wan at his side. 

“Has Jan been accepted onto the Council?” Obi-Wan asked. 

“Not by everyone, although they all respect Yoda enough to abide by his wishes. And he’s only an advisory member, not a full Councillor, which I think helps them accept his presence. We’re almost ready to run the first ballot for Grand Master, and now that the vote is actually approaching and everyone’s accepted that Yoda really isn’t going to be Grand Master any more, I’m hoping it might go a bit better,” Mace confessed. “We need someone at the helm, and I - it can’t be me. Part of the impetuous to step down now is that in the past they’ve often elected Masters of the Order as Grand Masters, and that - I think that weight would be enough to break me,” he admitted.

“You’ve been so strong for so long my love,” Obi-Wan murmured, reaching up to cup Mace’s cheek. Mace gave a tired smile, pushing his affection towards Obi-Wan through the Force. Obi-Wan smiled in return. 

“Spar this evening?” Mace asked, and Obi-Wan nodded. 

“I’ll even be nice and worn out for you, I’ve promised Master Drallig that I’ll assist with Soresu demos while I’m in Temple,” Obi-Wan said with a teasing smile. 

“So I’ll defeat you even more quickly than usual?” Mace teased back, and Obi-Wan chuckled, then squeezed his bicep gently. Mace smiled wanly, and too soon they parted to go about the rest of their afternoons. Mace had Council and the myriad duties of Master of the Order, plus his self-devised tasks to prepare the position for a new incumbent. 

Both of them were quietly anticipatory of Mace being relieved of the duty of Master of the Order, although he had decided he would remain in his post until his successor was elected. It would be unfair to abdicate his duty without someone there to take on responsibility for the Order, especially now. So they went about the rest of their afternoons, and met again to spar, as promised, that evening.

“So how did it go?” Obi-Wan asked Mace as they cleaned up after sparring. Mace scoffed tiredly, shaking his head. 

“Much lamentations and gnashing of teeth and so forth,” Mace said drily. “I’ve been Master of the Order for as long as half the Councillors have had their seats. Shaak was the calmest, but then, she always is. I think Yoda was half expecting my resignation. He just looked tired. I think once we have a new Grand Master he’ll probably retire from the Council entirely.” 

“He’s not young,” Obi-Wan reminded. “And his mistakes haunt him more with grandmaster here as not-so-silent reminder, I think.” Mace nodded. 

“On the plus side, I mentioned our intention to become a Knight-pair, to no one’s surprise, but they’ve agreed that I could start easing back into the off world mission rotation, although it’s likely to be Core World ceremonial duties at first,” Mace warned. 

“I don’t mind, although you’ll have to be nice to Anakin,” Obi-Wan warned. 

“We’ve come to a mutual agreement,” Mace said confidently. “And he’s been doing a lot better since he started seeing Anu.”

“Yes yes, mind healers are our friends, I know, I’ve already agreed I need to start seeing someone,” Obi-Wan bit out. Mace retreated a step, holding up his hands in the sign of peace. Obi-Wan sighed, deflating. 

“Sorry,” Obi-Wan murmured. “I just - kriff Mace, I know I’m a mess. I just - I don’t want to let anyone down.”

“Oh Obi-Wan,” Mace said gently, and wrapped Obi-Wan in his arms. “You won’t let us down, no matter what. You carry so much, and don’t deny it. You give so much, let us help you a little. You know none of us will judge you for accepting a helping hand. I could kick your Master sometimes, you know that? You’re a good man and an excellent Jedi. Needing a little help won’t change that.”

“I just - I feel like such a fraud Mace,” Obi-Wan admitted. “All of you see this kind, wonderful person, and most days I feel like I’m barely staying afloat. I just - how can this amazing Jedi you describe possibly be me? I - I barely made it to Padawan, only gained a Master by practically blackmailing him into it, never passed my trials, never even _stood_ my trials, and yet you would have me believe I’m honestly a Master of this Order?” Mace’s heart lurched at the confusion and pain in Obi-Wan’s voice, and coiled deep inside him.

“Open yourself to me,” Mace commanded gently. “Let me show you what I see in you. I see a Knight devoted to his Master, taken from him too soon. I see a man with a compassion that knows no bounds. I see a Padawan who was and always has been ready to sacrifice himself so that others may live, and I thank the Force every day that it hasn’t come to that, I thank the Force every day for your caring heart and you compassionate nature. I can feel you don’t believe me. But know that I love you, so much, and that you deserve that love, and so much more.” Obi-Wan hiccoughed softly, but nodded against Mace’s chest. “Stay with me tonight love, and I want you to see someone in the morning, please. Worrying over this won’t help you, but I think meeting with your mind healer would.” 

Obi-Wan nodded again, and Mace helped him finish dressing, then led him gently to his apartments. There, Mace started a simple meal, and sent a message to Skywalker that Obi-Wan would be staying the night. Skywalker texted back his understanding promptly, and Mace kept Obi-Wan close the rest of the evening, then put them both to bed early. Obi-Wan was quiet and a bit listless in the morning, complacent when Mace dropped him off at the mind healers. When Mace saw Obi-Wan again at mid-meal though, he seemed a bit more pulled together, or at least putting up a good front.

Shortly after mid-meal the ‘Sith-hunters’ as Quinlan Vos had dubbed them met again, going over the information that Obi-Wan and Anakin had dredged up in their travels and Jan had pieced together from his time as a Sith apprentice and on Kamino. Damask Holdings, it was soon clear, was deeply involved in the schemes. Not surprising, perhaps, given the InterGalactic Banking Clan’s high placement in the ranks of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and low reputation with regard to ethical business practices and treatment of sentient beings. The meeting seemed to light Obi-Wan up a little though, despite the difficult topic, or perhaps because of it. Obi-Wan was happiest, after all, when he was helping others.

“Do we have enough evidence of corruption to have the IBC Senators and those of the other major commerce guilds removed from the Senate?” Obi-Wan asked as they drew their session towards a close. “If we could remove their voices from the Senate, perhaps the voices of the other conspirators would grow louder to make up for the loss.” Mace nodded at the idea. 

“It’s inexcusable that the Trade Federation especially is still seated, after Naboo,” Even Piell said, and the others nodded. None of them were pleased about the outcome on Naboo, but somehow it had become background noise. Another crisis had arisen elsewhere, then another, another, until Naboo was old news, the blockade rarely spoken of except by those who had starved under it and fought against it. 

“Would moving against the commerce guilds tip our hand though?” Mace asked, playing Sith’s advocate. 

“If we only use material related to Maul, get the Trade Federation, IBC and Techno Union representatives out, I think that doesn’t show too much of our intended path,” Plo Koon said thoughtfully. 

“I believe that such an act may in fact disguise our true intentions,” Master Sinube agreed. “The Sith may perhaps think we’ve decided only to act against those whom he has manipulated to his benefit. After all, we do not yet know who the Sith is, so it is not as it he would be totally wrong in assuming we do not yet move against him directly.” The others all nodded at that, agreeing with the concept. 

“Let’s do it,” Piell said firmly, and so their course was set. When the meeting was over, Obi-Wan checked his messages as was his habit, and smiled to find a request from Reeft. 

“What’s up?” Mace asked, seeing the smile on Obi-Wan’s face and feeling his quiet contentment. 

“Reeft wants some help in the refuges, he says someone to bounce ideas off of, so you’ll probably be getting some suggestions from him soon on how to improve things,” Obi-Wan said. 

“Good,” Mace said firmly. “We’re only doing the bare minimum there. We can do more, but the Council doesn’t know how the resources need to be apportioned to actually make a difference, so we end up talking circles around ourselves. If he can give us plans of action, we can utilize what we have better.” Obi-Wan smiled at that, leaning up to kiss Mace on the cheek. Since his return to the Temple, both of them had been much more demonstrative, even in public, and Obi-Wan couldn’t help but savour it, proud to be linked to Mace.

Later, in the refuge areas, Obi-Wan found himself sitting on the floor and playing idly with children while discussing with Reeft what was needed. Both of them had managed relief missions in the past, but this time the affected were on Coruscant, not some far flung world. The greatest difference though, was not the sheer scale of the tragedy, but the level of commitment the Order was quietly willing to undertake. The Separatists had come to Coruscant in part because of the Order. They might not be responsible for the Separatists’ actions, but they would do their best to ameliorate the effects.

“Do we have the surplus for food pantries and shelters with meals in other sectors?” Obi-Wan asked as he mentally tabulated the numbers. They went through an astronomical amount of food just at the Temple refuge, which functioned not only a massive shelter but also a food pantry and soup kitchen.

“Yeah, especially with the number of recruits the Corps have been getting,” Reeft said. “We’ve had quite a few volunteers from among the refugees sheltering here, seeing it as a way to get off Coruscant and also help out. I think a lot of beings didn’t really realize what the Service Corps were or what they did. AgriCorps, MedCorps, and EduCorps have all seen a big increase in recruitment from outside the Temple since the attack. My main concern is that if we funnel all the surplus to Coruscant, we won’t have any reserve if there’s need elsewhere.”

“But how much of what gets shipped here could we even warehouse for such a contingency?” Obi-Wan asked, and Reeft nodded in understanding. 

“True, perishability needs to be taken into account. We’re mostly shipping non perishables though, dry cereals and durable vegetables, or things that AgriCorps processes on site, like kelp bars, soypro, protein cubes, dried milk, dried fish and meat, and other ration bar type commestibles,” Reeft said. “My other main concern is - well, good will I suppose. I mean, we’re generating a lot of good will just but having the refuges open, but I want to do more, you know? I’m thinking we can petition for an EduCorps installment here, maybe even integrate some of the Padawan and Initiate classes, so that Jedi Younglings understand others, and others understand us too, you know?”

“Write it up and I’ll co-sign it,” Obi-Wan agreed. “The misconceptions that persist about the Order would be humourous if they weren’t so disheartening.” Reeft smiled at that, and clapped Obi-Wan solidly on the shoulder. 

“Your Padawan has been a big help with that you know?” Reeft said with a smile. “The younglings love him, and it’s easy to see that he’s nothing like those holodrama sterotypes of the aloof Jedi with their inscrutable wisdom. He’s just a big youngling himself really, and they can see that, their parents too.” Obi-Wan smiled at that. 

“I’ll pass along your kind words,” Obi-Wan promised. With that, discussions of logistics and economics were set aside, and Obi-Wan and Reeft played with the younglings, teaching even as they entertained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter sort of (or maybe more than sort of) implies that non-Force sensitives can volunteer with the Jedi Service Corps. My mind isn't totally made up on the matter to be honest. I think even if many members of the Service Corps aren't strong enough in the Force to be Knights, there probably wouldn't be enough Force sensitives to fully staff all the Corps, therefore there must be members that aren't Force sensitive. But that is my personal interpretation, and you're welcome to think it works differently.
> 
> It isn’t mentioned too much in this chapter and I’m not sure how much I’ll go into it, but I envision the voting for Grand Master is something like how the College of Cardinals votes in conclave for a new Pope, except that Grand Master is voted on by the entire Order rather than just a select group. Everyone Padawan and up gets a vote, they can vote for anyone they like, and when one person gets the supermajority and agrees to accept the position, they have a new ~~Pope~~ Grand Master. 
> 
> A lot of my personal understanding / headcanons of the Order are somewhat Catholic in origin, as despite the fact that Our Father George Lucas based the Jedi on (American understandings of) eastern religions, it just - seems very old school (read Renaissance era or so) Catholic to me, what with being a state religion intertwined with the State itself. And also I love the pageantry of Mass and conclave and so forth. Also also, for the record, dear author is not actually a Catholic, but grew up around a lot of them so this is based on probably faulty interpretations of Catholicism by an outsider who really likes the music and fancy vestments.
> 
> (also thinking about all this sparked my remembering Ewan McGregor as the eminently boneable, deliciously charismatic camerlengo in _Angels & Demons_, a character who made me think lots of things priests aren’t supposed to make you think. If you ever want a very yummy Sith Obi-Wan template, look that fucker up. Very defrock-able, much handsome, such evil with an angel’s face.)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan and Mace and Anakin, figuring shit out.

Within a week of Mace stating his intent to resign as Master of the Order, Shaak Ti was voted into the position. Obi-Wan couldn’t help but be encouraged by her advancement. Between Mace and Obi-Wan in age, she was quiet and calm, listened more than she spoke, was listened to when she did speak, and had a nurturing streak a mile wide. She was also someone who had quietly supported Obi-Wan’s efforts to redeem the Fallen members of his Lineage. While Shaak had been cautious about Dooku returning to the Order, once he had proven himself willing to help them hunt his former Master, and abide by the Code, she had quietly supported Dooku’s full Reconciliation.

There was no great ceremony associated with the raising of a new Master of the Order, but every Jedi in the Temple understood what it represented. Change was in the air. Especially as, on the day following her election by the other members of the High Council, Master Ti stated that the Council would be expanding from twelve members to twenty one, and that the new positions would all be short term. More voices, Shaak stated in the communique to the entire Order, needed to be heard. 

Dooku’s position as advisor on Kamino would become a full Council position to represent the interests of the vode, and the other new positions would include Councillors representing each of the four branches of the Service Corps, and interests of the Creche, Initiates, Padawans, and Temple refugees. A number of advisory positions would also be added, although they wouldn’t be full Members of the Council. Reeft was the only one surprised when Master Ti tapped him as the new Councillor to advocate for refugees. Obi-Wan was quietly pleased for his old friend. 

Much to Mace’s delight, almost as soon as Shaak was sworn in, she also told Mace that the Temple of Eedit on Devaron was due for inspection, and that he, Obi-Wan and Anakin would be sent to take stock there. The Devaronian Temple was all but abandoned, but among Shaak’s proposals was the investigation of whether it might be wiser to de-centralize the Jedi. While the Order maintained permanent installations on many worlds, their strength and knowledge was almost wholly on Coruscant. If the Separatists had succeeded in their attack, their Order could have been extirpated. Even without that concern, strengthening the smaller Temples would allow them to repel attacks if the Separatists focused their attention there. 

Mace accepted the mission contingent on Obi-Wan’s response, and when Obi-Wan and Anakin arrived shortly after, Obi-Wan accepted as well. Rising from his seat among the Councillors to accept the mission and be briefed, Mace smiled slightly at Obi-Wan and Anakin when Obi-Wan nodded his acceptance. Mace was well aware that Anakin would probably rather not have the Councillor on any mission with him, but he was also looking forward to seeing the Padawan in action. He trusted Obi-Wan’s reports, but that was different than seeing Anakin’s progress in the field himself. 

In Temple, Anakin had been doing well, especially as they kept him busy enough that he always had an excuse not to attend to requests from the Senate. It was a short mission all told, a few days in hyperspace on a trader along the Corellian Trade Spine, a tenday in the jungles of Devaron, and then back to Coruscant. It was uneventful, which Obi-Wan and Mace appreciated, and Anakin found boring since he didn’t have anything to tinker with.

Similar soft missions followed; a political wedding on Shulstine, a treaty ratification on Zeltros, an inspection of the AgriCorps installation on Taanab. Finally though, after a few months of courtesy missions to ease Mace back into the routine and Mace and Obi-Wan into a cohesive working partnership, Shaak handed them something a bit more perilous. They would be heading to Felucia in the Outer Rim. Hot and humid, the jungle world was sparsely populated by native Felucians. A few other sentients had colonized parts of the planet, but mostly used it as a resort destination. 

The native Felucians though, grew the valuable medicinal herb nysillin for export, and Felucia was one of the few places it could be cultivated. Due to the already astronomical and only increasing value of the herb, it was a prized commodity, and currently only available on the black market for extortionate sums. All of the Jedi old enough to have been involved in the Stark Hyperspace Conflict could see its sequel taking shape before their eyes. Those investigating the Sith saw shadows of the Darkside in both situations.

Upon arriving at Felucia a week or so after being given the assignment, Mace, Obi-Wan, and Anakin found a MedCorps hospital ship already in orbit. While the primary goal of their mission was to drive off the pirates harassing Felucia, they also had orders to assist in the creation of a Jedi outpost. A MedCorps clinic would be built, along with a nysillin processing plant and a joint research station staffed by both AgriCorps and MedCorps, to further study the nysillin as both an organism and a medicine. A large contingent of Antarian Rangers would provide not only local but planetary security, hopefully preventing further harassment by the pirates.

They set down their small cruiser in the valley the Jedi had selected and purchased for their outpost. There was clean water and rich soil, and standing knee deep in lush vegetation, Obi-Wan turned his face to the distant sun and wondered if his path would have brought him to this same place if he had accepted the future of a farmer. Nearby, Anakin watched, eyes resting a little too long on the gleam of Obi-Wan’s hair, red-gold in the brilliant light, and the way his lips parted slightly in quiet joy. Mace watched too, both Obi-Wan and Anakin, and while he appreciated the aesthetics of Obi-Wan enjoying the sunshine, a jealous little part of him couldn’t help but be wary of Anakin’s regard.

They set up camp for the night, and a watch schedule. Come morning, they would begin their canvassing of the nearby farms. This region, according to previous surveys, was one of the hardest hit by the piracy. Once they’d eaten, they settled around their fire and talked. Somehow, they worked their way back around to Ahsoka’s perceived crush on her agemate, Barriss Offee.

“That’s not - forbidden?” Anakin asked, still working through what was doctrinally permissible and what was forbidden when it came to affection and attachment. The lines drawn by the Order didn’t entirely make sense to Anakin; how could you love without possessing? Have affection without attachment?

“We can’t forbid desire,” Mace said bemusedly. “Besides, most Padawan relationships don’t last.” 

Anakin nodded, conceding that point. Most Senior Padawans he knew, all in their late teens and early twenties, tended to either flashfire short relationships or friendships supplemented with casual sex. Neither prospect seemed terribly enticing to Anakin. While he understood by now that he had built up a false image of Padme, he’d loved that idol whole heartedly, for all of his adolescence. The thought of casual sex or shallow relationships just didn’t appeal to him after experiencing such consuming desire. All his relationships were intense, either devout friendship or utter disdain. Anakin was indifferent about very few things in life.

“But I mean - how does it work? I mean - how are you two _not_ attached when you’re so obviously in love? I mean, I know - I know Padawans aren’t really supposed to have long term relationships,” Anakin asked. Obi-Wan and Mace traded a look, conversing silently with their eyes and through the Force. Mace blew out a huff of air through his nose. 

“I’m quite aware that if the choice was my life or the life of a stranger, Obi-Wan would trust me to save myself while he saved the innocent. Attachment is prioritizing a single person over all others due to your feelings for them. That’s imprecise perhaps, but each of us knows and understands that while we love one another, the will of the Force may not ensure that our paths run together for the rest of our lives. One of us may die tomorrow,” Mace said carefully. “But we also know that to go against the will of the Force - to act on our desires even if that is not the will of the Force, would doom the relationship as well as us as individuals.”

“But how do you know if it’s your will or the will of the Force?” Anakin asked. “I mean - when I - when I was with - protecting - Padme - Senator Amidala - it just - it felt so right to be in her presence, but I can - I can see now how much happier she is away from me. But it felt right to be with her too.”

“The will of the Force,” Obi-Wan said ruefully. “It is a difficult thing to parse at times. Luminous beings we may be, but we are also only mortal instruments. The Force - it is omnipresent, and yes, omniscient, its energy binding and flowing through all of creation. The oldest Jedi philosophy, the only treatises that remain unargued by later theories and movements, is that the Force in its natural state is perfection. 

“But paradoxically perhaps, no being, no matter how attuned to the Force, can achieve - or fully perceive - that perfection without becoming wholly One with the Force, passing into it fully. What you felt - may have been merely echoes of your own desires. And as a result - well,” Obi-Wan said, and shrugged to convey that this too, was somewhat imprecise. Even the most experienced Master ran up against the constraints of language when attempting to describe the ineffable nature of the Force. 

“Our interpretation of the will of the Force is always that - _our interpretation_ ,” Mace said, and Anakin blinked. While he had become accustomed to the former Master of the Order’s presence over the past months, Anakin hadn’t expected Mace to continue to contribute to their educational / philosophical discussion. Although, he rationalized, that was probably what Mace and Obi-Wan did for fun on their date nights - debate Jedi doctrine and the best translations of Archaic High Sith or something _(Anakin was only half wrong; both Obi-Wan and Mace agreed that the Dhar’nyl translations of Archaic High Sith were preferred to all others)_.

“I’ve never made any claim to perfection Anakin,” Mace said with a bemused smile. “Every Jedi has a different perspective. Even those with similar base senses. Even those of the same species, age, and path of study. None of us are perfect, and any being that claims to be is one of whom we should be wary. We follow the will of the Force, yes, but we perceive that will by communing not only with the Force itself, but with one another, by studying history and philosophy, and reading others accounts so that we can more fully understand the will of the Force by understanding how _others_ perceive that will.” Mace paused, and snorted softly.

“That was part of why Qui-Gon infuriated the Council so regularly. He refused to follow, or sometimes even _acknowledge_ anyone else’s perception of the will of the Force. He was convinced that due to his close communion with and adherence to the Living Force, he and _only_ he was aware of what the will of the Force even was. And he thought that following that will, his own personal perception of that will, was the most important thing, with no thought for what the consequences of his action might be.

“My gift with shatterpoints was evident from a young age. Like Obi-Wan, I’m tied close to the Unifying Force, to possibilities - to futures and consequences. And those possibilities were the root of every disagreement I ever had with Qui-Gon. Well, that and the fact that I was barely a Knight before they made me Councillor and then Master of the Order. 

“That sort of responsibility - even the most selfless Jedi would be unprepared to suddenly have the entire Order placed on their shoulders, and I was never that inherently selfless. If I seem obsessed with Code and doctrine, it is because I have learned to be, because like the will of the Force, the common good for which we advocate is often influenced by the perspective of the being doing the advocating. No matter what, as Obi-Wan said, we are but mortal instruments, tools of the Force. I’ve made plenty of mistakes.”

At that, Anakin couldn’t help but be visibly gobsmacked. While Anakin had been slowly arriving at the conclusion that Mace really was just a man since Mace and Obi-Wan had started dating, and he’d learned more about Mace since they’d been teamed together for missions, Anakin had still largely thought of Mace as stern and dogmatic, not much more than an automaton who spewed Code and doctrine and a hundred little details that made life more difficult. He knew that wasn’t all there was to Mace, he couldn’t imagine Obi-Wan choosing someone like that as a mate. 

But Anakin had also distanced himself from their relationship, quietly jealous of the time Mace and Obi-Wan spent together. While he was getting better at identifying his own possessiveness, at examining it and the underlying causes, Anakin was still more than a little covetous of his mentor’s time and attention. And while Anakin still couldn’t imagine Mace a _youngling_ , he could almost see the Korun as a young Knight, overburdened with his own independence and the staggering futures he saw and then the unrelenting, overwhelming responsibility of shepherding the entire Jedi Order. 

Of course Mace was staunchly doctrinal; what else could he be with their previous Master of the Order dead in battle and no one to show him the way, everyone assuming he had everything under control? Obi-Wan reached out, taking Mace’s hand in his. Mace looked over, face softening with affection, He squeezed gently, and Obi-Wan pressed himself against Mace’s side. Their Order had asked much of them, almost more than either had been able to individually bear. Together, those responsibilities seemed so much more reasonable. On the other side of their campfire, Anakin tried, not entirely successfully, not to glare.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mission to Felucia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It wasn’t clear in wookiepedia, but I’ve decided that the stated teaching relationship between T’ra Saa and Mace was a Master / Padawan bond, and that while Yoda probably trained Mace at times, Mace was not one of Yoda's direct Padawans. If that’s actually canon, we’ll pretend I knew that.

If meditating with Obi-Wan on a shadowed planet like Dathomir or Almas, or even Coruscant, made Anakin feel like he was bathed in Light, sharing communion with the Force on a planet like Felucia that was relatively untroubled and teeming with the Living Force was - well, it was illuminating, to utilize a truly terrible pun. Anakin had vaguely theorized that Obi-Wan’s compassionate warmth was what drew so many Darksiders to him, was what had made the Nightbrothers of Dathomir stare at him as if he was the incarnation of their benevolent Winged Goddess. But feeling Obi-Wan’s welcoming affection the first morning they meditated together on Felucia - well, it made Anakin view his always possessive feelings towards his mentor in a new light. 

_Force_ , Anakin couldn’t help but think, _Obi-Wan is beautiful_. And that beauty had nothing to do with his outward appearance, although Obi-Wan was certainly blessed there too. Even as he realized it, Anakin kicked himself. Despite his new awareness of his emotions, he knew nothing would or could change. He was certain of Obi-Wan’s love for him. And certain also that that love was strictly familial and non-romantic. Which was a shame, because evidently he’d been nursing a ridiculous crush on Obi-Wan for at least a year without realizing it, buried as it had been beneath his utter obsession with Padme Amidala. 

Surfacing from meditation with Obi-Wan, Anakin found himself meeting Mace’s knowing gaze. Anakin flushed slightly and dropped his eyes, very aware that Mace had a pretty good idea what was running through Anakin’s mind. Rather to his surprise, Mace made a soft noise that could only be interpreted as amusement, and his presence in the Force remained non-confrontational. 

“It doesn’t bother you?” Anakin asked quietly, eyes finding his still meditating mentor almost without thought. Mace snorted outright at that. 

“You’d hardly be the first Padawan to have a crush on their teacher,” Mace said just as quietly. “And frankly? You haven’t got a snowflake’s shot on Mustafar.” Anakin flustered, wanting to be angry but mostly just sadly acknowledging that fact. Obi-Wan was devoted to Anakin yes, would likely die to keep him safe. But that love was completely platonic. “Hell, I’m still amazed he’s interested in _me_ , and I’m much better looking than you are.” Anakin looked over wide eyed at that, and realized a beat later that he was being teased. By the former Master of the Order. By the lover of the man he was lusting after. 

“Oh kriff you,” Anakin grumped, but couldn’t help but smile back slightly. 

“Look, I know it’s rough,” Mace said quietly and seriously. “It took me years to suck it up and accept what I felt for Obi-Wan, and even then we never would have been together if he hadn’t stepped forward and taken the initiative. I am well aware he deserves much better than me. But I’m also not entirely sure there’s anyone in the universe that truly deserves him, and if you ever tell anyone I said something that sappy, well. Your teacher will miss you very much, although I doubt anyone would believe you.” Anakin snorted softly, but shrugged. 

“I know he doesn’t - _can’t_ love me like that,” Anakin said, staring at his hands, tanned fingers and gleaming durasteel twining together. “I - I’m just really crap at hiding it, and frankly - he doesn’t notice. You know Obi-Wan, sometimes you need to smack him over the head with something to make him acknowledge its existence.”

“And you’re any better?” Mace asked, and Anakin snorted, shrugging. Mace sighed. “I don’t have any hope to offer you, and even if I did, I’m not sure I would,” Mace admitted. “Except - well, like I said - you wouldn’t be the first Padawan to have a crush on their teacher, and you won’t be the last. Accept it, then move on.” 

Anakin nodded, accepting the advice with what grace he had. He couldn’t even really be angry at Mace; he resented the Councillor a bit, but he’d also grown to respect him since Mace and Obi-Wan started seeing one another and they all began working together. The Korun clearly made Obi-Wan happy, and for all that Anakin coveted Obi-Wan, he also wanted Obi-Wan happy, and being with Mace - Obi-Wan was clearly happy.

“So did you have a crush on your Master?” Anakin asked after a spell, and Mace snorted. 

“Have you ever met T’ra Saa?” Mace asked, and Anakin shook his head after wracking his memory. “My Master is Neti,” he explained. Anakin took a moment, then grimaced, remembering what a Neti was - plant beings. “She’s also - centuries old. Not Yoda old, but. Also, totally devoted to Tholme, and has been for years.”

“Ah,” Anakin said weakly. “I don’t think I’ve ever actually met a Neti.” Mace chuckled softly. 

“Most of the time, she choses to look like a female humanoid. I’m told she’s very beautiful in that form, for those that appreciate female humanoids. But I’ve also seen her literally turn into a tree. So,” Mace said with a slight shrug.

“Are you two done chatting?” Obi-Wan called, hands on hips. Mace rolled his eyes and stood. While they were talking, Obi-Wan had broken down their camp and packed up. 

“Hey, aren’t you the one who said I had to be nice?” Mace teased, and Obi-Wan rolled his eyes in return. 

“Doesn’t mean you can gossip like a pair of old hens while I do all the work mister,” Obi-Wan said primly, and Anakin couldn’t help but giggle. They set out before long, and soon made their way to the first of many farms they would stop at that day. They talked to the farmers, listening to their concerns and trying to put together enough data points that they could establish the raiding pattern of the pirates harrying the Felucians. 

The trio of Jedi, Master, Knight, and Padawan, travelled for weeks from farm to farm, thanking the natives for the hospitality when they were invited to share a meal or bed down in a spare room or even a barn. Nights when no hospitality was offered, they would camp under the stars, sleeping lightly rolled in their cloaks and eating their rations. By the time they had circumambulated the property where the Jedi would build their outpost, they had been on Felucia for nearly a month. 

They spent the next few days huddled around the datasuite in their ship, entering in the information the farmers had given them and calculating when and where the pirates were likely to show up. It was tedious work, but necessary, and between the three of them they managed quite well. Of course, they didn’t think to account for the variable of their own presence; without observers on site, perhaps the pirates would have maintained their pattern. With Jedi in the system though, well - the pirates didn’t want to lose their rather profitable foothold. 

All three Jedi woke with hands already on their weapons as blasts rocked their small cruiser. The Force was surprisingly quiet given they were under attack. The three of them traded questioning looks, silently trying to determine a plan of attack. They clearly had to abandon their ship, as it was being pummelled by the pirates’ cannons. Quickly they stripped the necessities, all three glad they hadn’t borrowed Dooku’s solar sailer for the mission. Darting into the night, the Jedi raced into the cover of the nearby forests. They didn’t run for long, finding a sheltered area overlooking their backtrail.

“We’ll have to confront them eventually,” Anakin said, watching the distant light of their cruiser burning.

“So let’s have a plan for when we do,” Obi-Wan said. “Obviously the nysillin is profitable. We have to ensure that getting it is more trouble than its worth.”

“What are you thinking?” Mace prompted. 

“The Jedi who are eventually stationed here will be a large deterrent,” Obi-Wan said, starting with the obvious. “But even with the Rangers supporting, they cannot secure the entire planet against interlopers.”

“Teach the farmers to protect themselves?” Mace guessed, and Obi-Wan nodded. 

“We can re-do the circuit we’ve already completed, fan out from there,” Obi-Wan said, and Mace and Anakin both nodded. Obi-Wan sighed. “It will be dangerous, and the farmers will be the ones most imperiled.” 

“But even if we routed this group of pirates, another gang would show up to fill the vacuum, we all know that,” Mace said gently. “It’s a kriffing bad situation. We’ve got to make the most of it.” Obi-Wan nodded, and they settled in to wait for morning.

With the Jedi on foot, some of the little townships were already all but demolished by the time they arrived, homes smoking and farmers cowering in fear. Bullies, Anakin thought. That was all the pirates were. Bullies who were picking on defenseless farmers and stealing medicine from the sick. It turned his stomach, and he could see that it bothered Obi-Wan and Mace too. 

Working in close quarters during their recent missions, it was becoming clear to Anakin that ‘Master of the Order’ had been a mask that Mace wore, and one that had worn heavily on the Korun. Like this, as a field Jedi, Mace could let his anger burn hotter, closer to the surface. Watching him rage, then use that rage to fuel his compassion was one of the more informative things Anakin had ever witnessed. Mace’s anger felt more like Anakin’s own than Obi-Wan’s ever had, but Anakin also better understood now from his sessions with Healer Anu that every sentient processed anger and other emotions differently. 

_We despise most in others what we fear in ourselves_ , Healer Anu’s calm, quiet tones whispered in Anakin’s memory, and suddenly the years of close surveillance, the searching looks and stringent demands by the once Master of the Order made sense. Mace had known from the start _exactly_ how dangerous Anakin’s temper was, because it was a battle he had fought himself - a battle he had won. Begrudgingly, Anakin felt his respect for Mace ratchet up a notch at the realization.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While on Felucia, our Jedi receive word that a Separatist fleet is heading towards Kamino.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m incapable of rewatching the Lawless arc, it gives me way too much sad, so my characterization of Bo-Katan is probably spectacularly off. We won't be seeing Satine in person, despite that I love her very much. In this AU Bo-Katan and the Nite Owls are their own clan from the start, not part of Death Watch and never were, and she and Obi-Wan have a decent if somewhat antagonistic relationship.
> 
> Mando’a translations in endnotes.

“Hello there,” Obi-Wan greeted bemusedly as a dozen or more Weequays trained blasters on them. Even as he did, Mace and Anakin were stepping forward, activated lightsabers lifted menacingly. “Gentlemen,” Obi-Wan rebuked. “I do not believe this fine being intends us harm. After all, dead Jedi aren't a profitable outcome,” he said, raising his eyebrow at the lead Weequay. “And if he did I’m quite able to defend myself,” he said rather more coolly, and Mace narrowed his eyes at the pirate, but disengaged. A few tense heartbeats later, Anakin followed suit. “Now,” Obi-Wan said, turning back to their interloper. ”I am Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is my partner, Jedi Master Mace Windu, and my Padawan, Anakin Skywalker. Whom do we have the honour of addressing?”

“Captain Hondo Onaka, King of the Pirates,” the Weequay introduced himself, puffing up proudly. 

“Your Majesty,” Obi-Wan said drolly, making a slight bow with a rather ostentatious flourish, and Ohnaka squinted slightly, trying to determine if Obi-Wan were being respectful or facetious. Mace, who knew his lover was being an obnoxious little shit, just grit his teeth.

“Master Jedi,” Ohnaka settled on returning in the same tone. “Let’s talk business.”

“Yes, let us - negotiate,” Obi-Wan returned smoothly, and smiled with entirely too many teeth. _Kark_ Mace and Anakin thought in unison. Three hours later, Obi-Wan had utterly charmed the pirate. Somehow, Obi-Wan managed to drink the entire crew of pirates under the table and then charm Hondo into understanding just how - unprofitable - Felucia would be once a full contingent of Jedi showed up to research nysillin. 

It was clear Ohnaka didn’t fully understand that the Jedi on their way would be Healers, researchers, and horticulturists, but Obi-Wan was quite skilled at such omissions when they served his purposes. Which was lucky, since as they were sending their first reports through the cobbled together remains of their long range array, their transmission was dropped in favour of an emergency beam. The listening post on one of the moons of Rishi had picked up some Separatist chatter; the droid army of the Techno Union was only days away from Kamino, and closing fast, intent on rooting out their potential enemy at the source.

“Who, _exactly_ knows about Kamino?” Obi-Wan asked, looking to Mace. 

“The High Council, the heads of the other Councils, the half dozen or so Healers who have rotated through the MedCorps installation there, some other Masters serving rotations in the EduCorps, we haven’t exactly been maintaining strict secrecy,” Mace admitted. “It’s still troublesome though. As of my resignation as Master of the Order, I had briefed the Chancellery and suggested talks be opened regarding Kamino joining the Republic, but I have no idea how far the word has spread from there. Even telling the Chancellery - well, it rubbed me the wrong way.”

“How long would it take us to get there?” Anakin asked, clearly itching to do something. 

“We’re a couple days out, Felucia isn’t far off the Triellust Trade Route, and that would swing us around and drop us right at the edge of the Rishi Maze,” Obi-Wan said without needing a map. He’d been navigating the Outer Rim for decades now, and had the galactic geography well set in his mind. “But that presumes we have a space worthy ship.” Anakin growled softly. Everything he learned about the cloned army itched under his skin. He couldn’t help but think that they were little better than slaves, bought and paid for. 

“I’ll see who’s in the neighborhood,” Mace said darkly. “What’s the likelihood Mandalore would reclaim her sons?” Obi-Wan shook his head almost immediately.

“It would be a very bad idea to bring this to Satine,” Obi-Wan cautioned. “I love that woman dearly, but her opinions have only grown more entrenched over the years. And moreover, the troopers may be Mando’ade, but they aren’t her aliit, and despite being viewed as dar’manda by much of her people, I doubt she would give the troopers the benediction of mandokarla. Jango might not claim it, but many Mando’ade still think of him as Mand’alor, and would rally to him. In her mind, that would make him a dangerous opponent.”

“Okay, again, but in Basic,” Anakin suggested, and Obi-Wan chuckled. 

“Officially, Mandalore won’t help us. But I might know someone there who will, depending on how bad she wants to piss her sister off,” Obi-Wan said with a grin. 

“Do I want to know?” Mace asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Bo-Katan, Satine’s sister,” Obi-Wan said. “She’s not my biggest fan, but she’s a follower of the traditional path. She’s managed not to get involved with Death Watch, Jango might be good for her all told. And she would probably be good for him. If only so that they concentrate on bickering with one another and stay out of my hair.” Mace snorted, but nodded at the comms. 

“I trust you,” Mace said. “If you think she can help, let’s send her a hail.” Obi-Wan nodded sharply, then began running encryption protocols neither Anakin nor Mace had ever seen before on the comm. Mace felt his eyebrows creep up his forehead as Obi-Wan finished and the comm began to sound a waiting tone. 

“Me’vaar ti gar vod?” a female voice answered, the transmission coming through crisp and clear despite the shoddy array they were using. 

“Speak Basic, Anakin and Mace are with me,” Obi-Wan said. “Separatists are heading for Kamino. Would you mind giving us a ride to go meet Jango and the boys?”

“You’re a kriffing nut Kenobi,” Bo-Katan said. “I’ll have the Nite Owls mobilized and on our way by nightfall. If her highness calls, I’m just taking the _Ret’lini_ out for a gas run.”

“The day your sister calls me looking for you, we’re all in trouble Bo. We’re on Felucia, I’ll transmit our coordinates. Warn your people that some of the names I’ve listed in the training corps Jango’s got on Kamino match names I thought were on Concordia, or marching far away.”

“Noted. I’ll ping you when we hit realspace over Felucia. Don’t worry, my ship is the finest Mandal can make,” Bo-Katan said confidently, and the connection closed. 

“Marching far away?” Anakin asked.

“Dead,” Obi-Wan said. “For a bunch of laser brains, the Mando’ade are a rather poetic people,” he said, an affectionate tone telling them he was teasing.

“And all their poems are about killing people,” Mace said rather grumpily. 

“Well, yes, but isn’t the axiom that an author ought write what they know about?” Obi-Wan asked, and Mace snorted and shook his head. 

“You really think Death Watch has infiltrated the training corps?” Mace asked pensively after a moment. 

“I think Fett chose the meanest sons of Hutts he thought he could trust with the contract,” Obi-Wan said. “Some of them have definitely leaned toward Death Watch in the past even if they aren’t active in the movement now. If any of them have trouble with Jedi, they’ve kept quiet about it.” Mace nodded. “We have to trust Jango to keep them in line for now, and the Service Corps are keeping an eye on things too. And trust that Bo’s ship is as fast as she says, and her aliit as well trained.”

Mace sighed and nodded, and just before dawn a MandalMotors manufactured dropship screamed down through the atmosphere. For a moment Obi-Wan feared the pilot was descending too rapidly, that they would scatter the ship across the landscape. It must have been outfitted with thrusters unlike anything Obi-Wan had ever handled though, because it settled easily. A compact form in beskar’gam came out and hollered in Mando’a, prompting both Anakin and Mace to look from the Mando to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan just smiled and shook his head, then trotted forward to embrace Bo and touch foreheads in greeting. 

“Oya!” Bo shouted once the Jedi were aboard, then pushed Obi-Wan toward the cockpit. “Gar ad, Korkie. Korkie, gar buir Obi-Wan.”

“Hold on,” Obi-Wan sputtered, and the lanky boy at the controls grinned, then pointed silently at the co-pilot’s chair before flipping on the internal PA system. 

“Strap in,” Korkie called, his accent, like Bo’s somewhere between a Kalevala drawl and crisp Upper Coruscanti, then accelerated the engines into a high pitched scream. The drop ship rocketed up off the surface, and was soon settling into the Nite Owl’s massive cruiser. “Hi,” he said, turning to look at Obi-Wan fully. Straight on, there was no question the boy was a Kryze. His facial structure was very much like Satine’s. But those were Obi-Wan’s eyes without question. 

“I am going to _kill_ your mother,” Obi-Wan said, and Korkie laughed delightedly. 

“Well in that case,” Korkie teased, and Obi-Wan shook his head.

“We will be having a long conversation, and you will be staying either on the ship or in my shadow,” Obi-Wan said, and Korkie nodded, the laughter falling from his face. 

“I’ll obey, buir,” Korkie said. “Bo’s been training me, teaching me the Resol’nare, but I know I’m not at commando levels yet. But I had to do _something_. You’re my buir.” Obi-Wan nodded sharply, stamping down his riotous emotion until he could release them properly. A son. He had a son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Mando’a:**  
>  Mando’ade = children of Mandalore, Mandalorian  
> Aliit = clan  
> Dar’manda = a state of not being Mandalorian - not an outsider, but one who has lost his heritage, and so his identity and his soul - regarded with absolute dread by most traditional-minded Mando'ade  
> Mandokarla = Mandalorian-ness, having ‘the right stuff’  
> Mand’alor = Leader of Mandalore and Mandalorians  
> Me’vaar ti gar vod = what’s up brother?  
> Oya! = Let’s go!  
> Gar ad, Korkie. Korkie, gar buir Obi-Wan = Your son, Korkie. Korkie, your parent Obi-Wan  
> Buir = parent


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Battle for Kamino part one.

Bo-Katan’s _Ret’lini_ was as fast as she’d promised - the engine the best Mandal Motors could make. They dropped out of hyperspace practically on top of Kamino, broadcasting their IDC on wideband. The Nite Owls had all loaded into dropships for insertion at the realspace warning, and despite his utter disgust at the idea of leading soldiers into battle once more, Obi-Wan loaded with them, knowing that staying out of the fight at this point would be an abdication of his responsibilities, a total abrogation of his duty to protect all life. While he had not stayed on Kamino long, the ‘troopers had made a strong impression. They had been made with a purpose, and while Obi-Wan might loathe the purpose, he could feel nothing but empathy for the vode.

About half the Nite Owls ditched their dropships as soon as they were at the upper altitudes for HALO dives, calling the usual vainglorious Mando’a dares to one another as they plummeted towards the seething ocean below. Obi-Wan couldn’t help but feel a surge of fierce affection for them, even as Anakin stared after them in something between horror and envy. A small party had remained on the _Ret’lini_ to act as their eyes in the sky, and also to prevent any boarding actions and provide cover fire. Obi-Wan didn’t need their warning to feel when the Separatist forces arrived though. Glancing out of the wide flung doors, Obi-Wan shrugged, then double checked his utility belt. 

“Coming?” Obi-Wan asked casually, and dove out into free air. Distantly he heard Mace and Anakin swear, and then they were jumping after him, using the Force to aim and later cushion their descents. Obi-Wan grinned as he stuck his landing on one of the docking platforms, then sprinted for the doors. 

“Officer on Deck!” someone called, and Obi-Wan waved them off.

“As you were, if you hadn’t heard this base is about to be under attack, we don’t have the time for formalities. Now where’s central command?” Obi-Wan asked, barely pausing in his businesslike stride. 

“This way sir,” a trooper motioned, and Obi-Wan sighed at the title, but didn’t bother correcting him. From what he had learned on his first visit, and later reports from his grandmaster and Xanatos, the clones were trained from a very young age, and hierarchical command structures were practically second nature for them at this point. Obi-Wan might not like it, but he couldn’t deny it would be useful in the coming fight.

Mace, Anakin, Bo-Katan, and Korkie all trailed behind Obi-Wan and his guide. Obi-Wan could tell from the way his son moved that Korkie hadn’t worn beskar’gam before, not for more than a few hours at a time. If he took more after his aunt than his mother, he’d eventually feel naked when he wasn’t encased in armourweave and plating. Obi-Wan wasn’t sure which path he should encourage - Korkie had been shaped by both Satine and Bo-Katan in their ways, and it seemed that Bo-Katan and the Resol’nare were winning so far. But real battle was very different than the tales of valour told in the myriad tapcafes of the Mandalorian Sector.

Overhead, white and red light strobed brilliantly as klaxons blared over PA announcements in both Basic and Mando’a directing ‘troopers to battle stations. Cadets were hurried out of the way to their dormitories, and Obi-Wan only hoped they would be able to protect the littlest ones from the battle. It might be what they were bred for, but no child should have to defend their home. 

“Incoming!” a Mando’a accented voice called over comms, and the entire floating city shuddered as the droid dropships latched onto the smooth outer shells of the Kaminoans’ bubble-shaped constructs. Metal whined and screamed as the breaching jaws punctured the domes and yawned open, disgorging waves of battledroids. 

“Get the Nite Owls in the air, they’re the only thing that will stop more of them from coming down on top of us,” Obi-Wan commanded, and Bo nodded, tapping at her comm to relay the orders. 

“What the-” someone said over a channel relayed from the hangar decks. “Lightsabers?” and then there was only the pinging of rapid blasterfire and sharp cursing. 

“Visuals?” Obi-Wan demanded from the blinking Kaminoan whose security post they’d commandeered. 

“Kark,” Mace said quietly, voicing all of their feelings at the sight of a massive droid dual wielding lightsabers, cutting through the ‘troopers like they were nothing. Behind it came bounding a cadre of unfortunately familiar forms with plasma bows; it seemed some of the Nightsisters had escaped Dathomir.

“What hangar deck is that and how do we get there?” Obi-Wan demanded. 

“A-7, I can bring you sir,” the trooper who had guided them in volunteered. Obi-Wan nodded sharply, looking to the others. 

“You’re not going alone,” Anakin said firmly, stepping forward with his hand hovering over his ‘saber hilt. 

“I’ll stay here and call out incoming,” Mace said, “Miss Kryze, if you wouldn’t mind staying and coordinating with me so we stay on the same frequency?” Bo nodded, sweeping off her buy’ce and signing that Korkie should do the same. “Your name and frequency trooper?” Mace asked next.

“CC-2224 sir,” the trooper said. 

“Name,” Obi-Wan insisted. There was a pause, then a quiet feeling of pride. 

“Cody, sir,” he introduced himself. 

“Alright Cody, you’re with me and Anakin. I’m Obi-Wan, that’s Mace, Bo-Katan, and Korkie. You see anything we need to know about, speak up,” Obi-Wan said, and then he was loping for the doors. At the hatch, he turned back, pointing firmly at Korkie. “You stay here, you stay safe. You do _exactly_ as Bo directs. Force be with you ad’ika.” Korkie nodded firmly, snapping a sharp, neat salute. Obi-Wan nodded, then loped out of the room. The ‘trooper goggled after Obi-Wan for a moment, then jogged after him, quickly overtaking Obi-Wan and leading him towards the worst of the fighting. 

Even over the blaring of the klaxons, they could hear the sound of men fighting and dying from corridors away. This close, Cody’s guidance was unnecessary. Obi-Wan glanced back at Anakin, opening their bond wide. Anakin reached back, and then they were pouring on speed, clanging through doors until they burst into the hangar like a pair of juggernauts wreathed in blue fire. The clones paused their firing a moment, overawed by the speed of the two Jedi, before cheering and beginning to once more mow down the battledroids. 

“Jedi, how nice of you to come,” the lightsaber wielding commander growled. 

“That’s no droid,” Obi-Wan noted idly. 

“Really, hadn’t noticed,” Anakin bit back, and then they were darting forward, engaging the strange being. Whoever it was, the cybernetic armour they wore allowed them to fend off the Jedi attacks ably. Close in, their blades locked together, Obi-Wan realized he recognized the hilt of the ‘saber he was engaged with. The weapon wielded against him had belonged to Ur-Sema Du, missing in action after the bombing of Coruscant. Obi-Wan had not known her well, but he knew her body had never been recovered, nor her weapon. Anger kindled bright in Obi-Wan.

“Grievous,” Obi-Wan practically hissed out, and shifted from Soresu to the more brutal attacks of Ataru. 

“Kriff,” Anakin gasped, stepping up his own attacks to protect his mentor’s flank. Grievous laughed riotously, swinging his blades aggressively. He had been trained, Anakin soon realized. The motions - Makashi, created for ‘saber duelling. Ataru, strength and power. Djem so, blocking and counterattacking. _Not good_ , Anakin decided, _not good not good not good_. Obi-Wan severed one of Grievous’ claws and Force-pulled the lightsaber from his grasp. With a last hacking cough, Grievous disengaged and scrabbled off, leaving the two Jedi deflecting a barrage of blasterfire from the battledroids that had accompanied him.

“After him,” Obi-Wan commanded, and Anakin nodded. They raced after the cyborg General, faces grim as they encountered trooper after downed trooper, all bearing the tell-tale burns of lightsaber wounds. It had to be deliberate; the vode, they knew, adored Jedi, even the idea of Jedi. It would go against everything they were trained for to fire on a ‘saber wielder if those ‘sabers weren’t the indicative red of the Sith. 

“Jedi interceptors inbound,” Mace’s voice crackled over comms. “A cruiser with a strike team should be just behind.” There was a pause, then Mace swore. “I think I’m seeing Nightsisters with one of the other strike teams too.”

“I’m sending Nite Owls,” Bo-Katan cut in. “And why haven’t we seen Fett and the bounty hunters?”

“Because I wanted an overview first,” came a gruff voice behind them, and Bo-Katan turned. She might not know the face, but she recognized the beskar’gam; burnished durasteel plating over blue armourweave, with blue markings on the buy’ce tucked under the man’s arm. Similar in colour scheme to the Nite Owls, although such wasn’t intentional. 

“Mand’alor,” Bo-Katan greeted with a salute, thumping her right fist over her heart. Korkie emulated her a moment later, recognizing the title and the respect attached to it even if he didn’t know the fullness of Fett’s reputation. Jango’s brow drew down.

“I wish people would stop calling me that,” Jango growled. 

“Do something about it then,” Bo-Katan sniped. “Windu,” she prompted. Mace snorted. He could see why Obi-Wan liked the girl. 

“Mand’alor,” Mace greeted, just because, and watched Jango bristle. “I’m Mace Windu. These assassins are probably Nightsisters,” he explained, pointing at one of the security feeds. “They’re Force sensitives at the very least, and may be Force users, are probably Darksiders if they’ve been sent on this mission. I don’t know their goal, but I imagine it’s to harm you or the ‘troopers.” 

“Leave them to me _jetii_ ,” Fett said, and slammed on his buy’ce. Mace bit back a grimace of his own. Only a Mandalorian could made Jedi sound like such an insult. Only Jango Fett would take on Force users barehanded. Galidraan might have been a catastrophe on both sides, but it had more than proved that Jango knew how to kill Jedi. If there was any one other than Obi-Wan and Anakin who could neutralize the Nightsisters, it was Fett.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ur-Sema Du is one of Grievous’ first Jedi kills according to wookieepedia. It made a sick sort of sense to me that her lightsaber would be one of Grievous’ trophies.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Battle of Kamino part two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s some Mando’a in this but not much, I’ve put translations in the end notes.

Jango cursed under his breath as he sprinted through the curving corridors of Tipoca City. He should have left this kriffing place as soon as he had his payment. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, a stable place to raise his son, so long as he ignored the treatment of the _millions of other sons_ the Kaminoans had created. He trained some of them himself - ARC troopers - but even then, even telling himself that he was preparing them in the best possible way for their future lives as soldiers - there a deeply buried part of Jango that had cried out. These were his _sons_. And some chakaaryc hut’uun had decided to come into Jango’s home and mess with his people. All that Mando possessiveness he had thought he had buried burned in his veins.

Tapping his comm, Jango began directing the Cuy’val Dar. He might not trust them all as closely as his old aliit, but they would fight well enough when faced with Separatist droids. Skirata would fight like a cornered nexu just for fun, and his nulls would be at his back. Reaching a set of stasis tubes, Jango quickly began waking the Alpha-ARC troopers inside. They might be cantankerous sons of Hutts, but that was why Jango liked this batch so much.

* * *

Asajj broke atmosphere with a whoop of adrenaline fueled joy. Her aethersprite’s engines keened as she pushed it to the limits, swooping through a cloud of vulture droids and smashing a good half dozen of them into shrapnel. Her astromech bleeped worriedly, and Asajj laughed delightedly, then spun and dove, laser cannons roaring as she targeted one of the squid-like breaching ships the droids had used to crack Tipoca City wide open. 

With a creaking groan, the leviathan craft toppled into the ocean, a wave of droids sweeping after. Asajj smiled, thin and slightly cruel, as she flew another sweep over the city, pale eyes searching, searching. Another aethersprite dropped in just at her wing, and she wiggled her steering yoke in greeting. Her colleague wiggled their wings in return, letting Asajj see their markings. Knight Tachi. Asajj’s grin widened, and she opened her comms.

“Nineteen,” Asajj said by way of greeting. 

“Twelve,” Tachi answered with a smile in her voice. “And drop ships only count for one.”

“I can still count the droids that were free of it but fell in after,” Asajj said with prim haughtiness, and Tachi’s laugh sparkled across the frequency. 

“Loser buys dinner, someplace nice,” Tachi proposed, and then peeled off, blasters flaring as she spotted another wing of vulture droids. Asajj swore, corkscrewing into a tight turn to follow.

* * *

Pausing, Obi-Wan turned to check Anakin was alright. They’d sliced through at least a hundred droids apiece already, and there seemed to be no end to them. They’d been separated from Cody and their clone escort some ways back, leaving them alone in the flickering red light of the curving corridors of Tipoca City. Anakin looked up, eyes blazing, and Obi-Wan couldn’t help his fond smile. A broader smile broke across Anakin’s face in response, and he closed the distance between them quickly. 

“What are you smiling about?” Anakin asked softly, reaching up to touch Obi-Wan’s mouth gently with his gloved prosthetic. 

“How very proud of you I am,” Obi-Wan admitted. “You will soon be a Knight I imagine, but I do - I do want you know how very proud I am to have been your mentor.” Anakin’s grin brightened, and then he was pressing his mouth to Obi-Wan’s, licking at his lips. Obi-Wan gasped in sheer surprise, and Anakin’s tongue swept into his mouth. Gently, Obi-Wan pushed Anakin away. Anakin flushed deeply, retreating slightly as Obi-Wan blinked dazedly up at Anakin, unconsciously reaching up to touch his mouth. 

“Kark,” Anakin breathed, breath warm against Obi-Wan’s flushed face.

“Language,” Obi-Wan reprimanded by habit, then blushed even more profusely when Anakin raised both eyebrows in bemused wonder. 

“Really? That’s what you’re going to scold me about?” Anakin asked.

“I - I’m still processing the rest,” Obi-Wan admitted. “Anakin - you understand I love you very much and not at all in a way that makes me want to kiss you on the mouth?” 

“I had kind of figured that with you not kissing back, yes,” Anakin said more somberly, ducking his head to push his face against Obi-Wan’s shoulder. Heart wrenching at the desolation Anakin couldn’t hide, Obi-Wan reached up and carded his fingers gently through his former Padawan’s lengthening hair. 

“I love you so much dear heart, but that - I do not love you like that, and I’m very much committed to my relationship with Mace,” Obi-Wan said gently. “And - you could do so much better than me my dear.” Anakin grumbled, shaking his head. 

“There’s no one better than you Obi-Wan,” Anakin refuted, a thread of pain lingering in his voice. “You’re utterly oblivious you know? I’ve been mooning over you for months now, and I’m pretty sure the only reason Mace hasn’t smacked me silly is because he finds my pining amusing.” Which - Obi-Wan would admit - did sound a little like Mace.

“Let’s focus on droids for now, and worry about this later,” Obi-Wan suggested, hearing the clanking footsteps that indicated their position would soon be under attack. Anakin nodded, hanging his head. “Oh Ani,” Obi-Wan said fondly, brushing his fingers along the rise of his Padawan’s cheekbone. “I do love you, never doubt that.” Anakin nodded, his flush deepening. He captured Obi-Wan’s fingers in his, and kissed his knuckles gently, then stepped back decisively and set out at a lope. Droids now. Talking about kriffing huge mistakes later.

* * *

“You!” Grievous barked, and Asajj grinned, flourishing her curve hilted ‘sabers as deep orange plasma blades seared into being, and then Grievous was on her. Asajj deflected him ably; while Dooku had trained the cyborg with ‘sabers, he wasn’t Force sensitive, and Asajj’s training was much more rigourous - and recent. She twirled and bounded, battlelust burning fierce in her veins. To her dismay, she had to break to deflect blasterbolts from a squad of battledroids, and while she was distracted, Grievous began to scuttle away. 

“You bow to these Jedi, instead of grasping for the power that could be yours!” Grievous roared. Asajj scoffed, ducking another barrage of blasterfire before cutting down the last of the droids and turning back to their cyborg General. 

“My dear general, you and the Sith have _nothing_ I could want,” Asajj all but purred at the cyborg, then launched herself at him, blades whirling. Grievous danced back beneath her burning orange ‘sabers, parrying quickly and finally disengaging before scrabbling away. Asajj huffed in disappointment, but didn’t follow. She could hear more battledroids approaching, and didn’t want to be caught with her back to them.

* * *

“There,” Jango murmured almost subvocally, knowing his helmet mic would pick it up and carry the order via tightbeam to the Alpha-ARCs surrounding him. Unlike most of their brethren, they wore jetpacks along with their standard armour, and a few had opted for the optional kama. Their armament varied from twinned blaster pistols to massive hand-carried laser cannons that could hull a ship if necessary. 

A hundred Alpha-ARCs zeroed in on the dozen lithe red-garbed females. Nightsisters the Jedi had called them. Dar’jetiise if Jango had ever sniffed one. He grinned ferally within his buy’ce. He could see the similarities between them and Ventress, but Ventress was Jetii despite herself, and the vode would follow _her_ to hell and back. These aruetiise? Not a chance. Jango double checked his blasters by habit and aimed for the throat. He might shoot first, but his ade would exterminate these dar’jetiise with exreme prejudice or die trying. No one came into their home. 

A hail of blasterfire raced after Jango’s, illuminating the dim area they’d chosen as their killbox. The Nightsisters called out, some of them dropping with gurgles of pain. Other shrieked out their fury and launched themselves towards the waiting vode. The Alpha-ARCs, never shy about engaging, met their calls with more blasterfire. A few of the dar’jetiise dropped back, finding cover and engaging their brains - and their plasma bows. 

A solid _thunk_ and an ARC trooper went down, their armour clattering noisily against the hardened decking. Jango growled quietly, then fired his jetpack, launching himself up and over. He drew a barrage of Nightsister fire, but was able to rain fury down on them from above. A few of his ade followed suit, encircling the Nightsisters more fully. Fury burned red hot in Jango’s veins, and not a single dar’jetii escaped the Alphas that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chakaaryc hut’uun - low life coward (approx)  
> Cuy’val Dar - Those who no longer exist, the trainers at Kamino, all bounty hunters, mostly Mando’ade  
> Aliit - clan  
> Haat Mando’ade - True Mandalorians (this is a best approximation on my part. I think Jango would think of and refer to his aliit in Mando’a not Basic)  
> Aruetiise - traitors, foreigners, outsiders (plural)  
> Ade - children (plural)  
> Dar’jetii - Dark Jedi (plural dar’jetiise)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Battle of Kamino part three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mando'a in the end notes

“ _Haran_ ,” Korkie swore emphatically, and Mace glanced over, catching Bo-Katan’s eyes as he did. Her face was tight with stress, her mouth pulled thin. Her aliit was fighting - and they were dying. Mace could feel her desire to be among them, and also her need to protect Korkie in the slim eventuality the command center should be breached. She was her nephews last line of defense, and she would gladly give her life for his. That did not stop her worrying about the rest of the Nite Owls. Korkie looked up with a flush when he realized he had their attention. “Remind me to never piss off the Mand’alor,” he said seriously, and Bo-Katan and Mace peered over his shoulders to watch Fett and the Alpha-ARCs utterly annihilate the Nightsister contingent, catching the Dathomiri in a blistering crossfire from which there was no escape. 

Mace could feel their deaths in the Force if he opened himself up, the deaths of Force users feeling slightly different than that of the Force-null Mando’ade and vode. Despite that is was a small victory, Mace couldn’t help but regret the loss of the Nightsisters - the necessity of their loss. Their paths had been shadowed, their Force use corrupted by the Dark side. And yet Obi-Wan’s previous interventions, the improbability of Dooku’s Reconciliation, inevitably made Mace question whether death was the only answer when a Jedi Fell or a Force user trod a shadowed path. He would have to meditate on that later. For now, he had people to protect.

“Fett and his ARC troopers have taken care of the Nightsisters, Grievous is moving north towards the hangars,” Mace said, depressing the call button for Obi-Wan’s comm. “Grievous has a pretty clear path, I’m scrambling air support.” Suiting action to intention, he nodded to Bo-Katan and relayed orders to her and the Jedi interceptors patrolling the rain swept skies. Padawan Ventress and some of the other Jedi pilots had set down already, to join the ground defenses, but many were still maintaining a cordon around Tipoca City.

* * *

Obi-Wan swore softly as he saw Grievous dart into a small ship and pilot rapidly away. He had hoped to take the cyborg General captive, or failing that, kill him. It would have dealt a heavy blow to the Separatists’ military aspirations to remove their ranking officer. For now though, Obi-Wan would satisfy himself with the fact that Kamino had not fallen. Turning, he looked Anakin over appraisingly. 

Uninjured, at least at first glance. Heartsore perhaps though, given their earlier interactions. Perhaps he should have expected his Padawan’s professions of desire and admiration. Obi-Wan had suffered through the all but requisite Padawan crush himself, although he’d never managed to get up the courage to proposition Qui-Gon, never mind kiss him.

“Now?” Anakin whinged, and Obi-Wan reached out, enveloping his Padawan in the Force so his intentions would be clear. 

“I just - I want to ensure I haven’t - haven’t led you on or made you believe I care for you in a different way than I do,” Obi-Wan said carefully. “I do love you Anakin. You believe that?”

“I do Obi-Wan, and you - you haven’t led me on. I - I knew you didn’t love me the same way I love you. I just - blame adrenaline if you want, I just - I had to kiss you,” Anakin tried to explain, which was really no explanation at all. Obi-Wan did understand though. 

“I’m sorry I can’t reciprocate your feelings dear one,” Obi-Wan said quite sincerely, and Anakin couldn’t help but love his mentor even then; even refusing him, Obi-Wan was warm and kind. 

“One kiss,” Anakin requested huskily, closing the distance between them. “One last kiss.” Obi-Wan contemplated refusing, but then Anakin’s mouth was pressed sweet and warm against his. Obi-Wan didn’t kiss back, but he didn’t push Anakin away either. “Thank you,” Anakin breathed against Obi-Wan’s mouth as he pulled away. “Love you so much Obi-Wan, thank you, thank you so much.”

“I love you too darling,” Obi-Wan promised softly, kissing Anakin’s cheeks and tasting his silent tears. “Please don’t cry, you’ll meet someone someday who loves you as you love them, I truly believe you will.” Anakin smiled at that, and hugged his mentor close. 

“Thanks old man,” Anakin rasped against Obi-Wan’s shoulder, and thumped him solidly on the back before stepping away. 

“Oof,” Obi-Wan dramatized, and Anakin rolled his eyes, a bit nervous about if - how - this would change things between them. Except - no, Obi-Wan wouldn’t let it, Anakin realized. Obi-Wan would continue to love him, and if Anakin was spectacularly lucky, his own feelings would ease into a platonic sort of love.

* * *

“Master Windu, Master Kenobi, Padawan Skywalker, you’ll be returning to Coruscant as soon as the cruisers can get you on board,” Shaak said. She looked tired, the duties of Master of the Order wearing on her already. “The Chancellor is demanding full debrief, and I’m leaving that in your hands Master Kenobi. As you’ve pointed out before, you’re one of our more experienced Masters with regards to matters of war.” Obi-Wan grit his teeth and nodded; he hadn’t pointed it out so he would gain these sort of responsibilities, but he intended to make his report count. 

“Regarding the unsanctioned involvement of the Nite Owl Clan,” Shaak continued, her gaze falling heavily on Bo-Katan. Bo tilted her head up slightly, which did nothing to change the fact that she was easily the smallest being in the room, even Korkie overtopping her despite being not yet fully grown. 

“The Nite Owls were acting as private citizens, assisting a friend in a matter of self defense,” Bo-Katan said firmly. 

“Be that as it may, I’ve been asked to convey the extreme displeasure of the Duchess of Mandalore, along with a summons to Sundari for you Commander Kryze, and for Mr. Fett,” Shaak said, clearly displeased to be playing messenger. 

“My title is Mand’alor,” Fett all but growled, and Bo-Katan and Obi-Wan sharply inhaled in unison at his acceptance of that responsibility, then smartly heel-turned to face Jango and saluted, fists to hearts. A moment later, Korkie copied the salute. “Kriff,” Jango hissed. 

“Obi-Wan?” Mace asked. 

“If you think Satine let me leave Mandalore without an adoption ceremony, you thought wrong,” Obi-Wan said, letting a small measure of amused pride colour his voice. “I’m registered on the Kalevala rolls of House Kryze as a Journeyman Protector with jurisdiction for the Republic entire.” 

Fett hissed at that, and dipped his head in respectful recognition. He might not much respect Jedi, but acquiring the status of Journeyman Protector took skill, and Mando adoption included the understanding that a person was reborn, their past wiped clean, when they were acknowledged Mando’ade. Journeyman Protector wasn’t a title that was granted as a gift or bribe either, not even by peace-pushing Satine Kryze. 

“If memory serves, the Mand’alor cannot be _summoned_ ,” Obi-Wan warned, and Jango’s respect ratcheted up another notch. “If Duchess Kryze wishes to meet with him,” he said, trailing off, and Master Ti nodded. 

“I will advise her of these developments,” Shaak said evenly, her lekku twitching slightly in the faintest show of agitation. “Mand’alor, will you be claiming _all_ of your sons?” They all sucked in hard breaths at that. 

“I am,” Jango said firmly. “I know I signed a contract though that abdicates my parental rights, and frankly most of the vode don’t want or need a father. But I will acknowledge them for whatever that’s worth, with the understanding that many of them wish to fulfill the goal of their creation and training and fight for the Republic. I will not refuse them that, although I don’t know exactly what options are open to them. I want perfectly clear however that my original contact with Master Dooku insinuated there would be a pardon for all my past crimes, and I will not enter Republic space until that clears with Judicial. Once it does, we’ll see about meeting with the Duchess and the status of the Haat Mando’ade and my ade.”

“Is there a full battalion ready to march?” Shaak asked after nodding her understanding. Obi-Wan glanced to Lama Su, the Kaminoan having been included in the immediate debrief.

“There are many battalions ready to march,” Lama Su said with a touch of pride. Shaak nodded again, her montrals stiff with subsumed displeasure. 

“We would like to contract a full battalion for protection of the Coruscant Temple,” Shaak said. “Effective immediately. We will provide arms and armour. Our Battlemaster will be sent to you with a cruiser to pick them up and the full authority to select the vode he feels will best fulfill this mission and our seal to negotiate the terms of the contract.” 

Obi-Wan blinked, but said nothing. It was a rather ingenious method of incorporating some of the ‘troopers into the functioning of the Order. The uniforms of the Temple Guard concealed their forms and faces entirely, and while they could not outfit the ‘troopers with the usual lightsaber pikes used by the Jedi of the Guard, Obi-Wan assumed a reasonable facsimile was being produced for their use. He had no doubt they would learn to handle the weapon admirably.

“Masters Tiin and Rhara will also be arriving to take volunteers for further training with the Jedi Starfighter Corps. Until that time, the Jedi pilots already at Kamino will be flying overwatch to ensure that there is no further incursion by Separatist forces,” Master Ti continued. “Additional Knights and Antarian Rangers will be deployed to maintain security at Kamino’s request.” She paused, and they all let the silence rest a beat. “Force be with you,” she said finally, dismissing them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haran = hell  
> aliit = clan


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the Battle of Kamino, the Jedi and Mando'ade adjust and prepare to move forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mando'a in end notes.

“Ad,” Obi-Wan greeted, settling beside Korkie on the bench where the boy was polishing his armour. Despite not having seen combat, certain practices were likely all but ingrained. If you wore beskar’gam, you maintained it. Your armour was your life as a Mando; so many of the traditions were wrapped up in their beskar’gam. The mere fact that he wore it made Korkie a man by Mando standards, although not by much, Obi-Wan thought. Fourteen years old, and already as tall as Obi-Wan, his hair a few shades paler and wavy, taking after Satine there.

“Buir,” Korkie returned, fussing with his cleaning cloth, then glancing over. “Please don’t be mad at Dalyc’buir for not telling you. She said - she said you had both decided to travel separate paths before she even knew about me. That you had both chosen duty. She could have asked you to stay, she said.”

“And if she had asked, I would have stayed,” Obi-Wan admitted. “I don’t blame you ad’ika. I don’t even really blame Satine. We were young and proud and stupid, certain in our own righteousness. She’s given you a life I couldn’t, I can’t begrudge that. Even if I had left the Order then - I loved her, I still do. But she understood that asking me to leave the Jedi would be like asking her to forsake Mandalore and its people. Both of us knew that who we were - who we loved - we wouldn’t survive that. I will always love Satine. And I will always love you. But I don’t know how I can be the buir you deserve.”

“And if I just want to get to know you?” Korkie asked, and Obi-Wan smiled.

“I’m more than happy to get to know you,” Obi-Wan returned. “I’m still sort of trying to get my mind around the fact that I have a son, but I want very much to know you.” Korkie nodded at that, and gnawed his lower lip, then all but threw himself at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan gathered the gangling teenager into his arms, hugging him tight. “Ad’ika,” he sighed, firmly enshrining this boy in his heart.

* * *

There were few places in Tipoca City where all the vode plus the Jedi and Nite Owls could gather in one place, from shinies just out of their tubes to battle hardened Mando bounty hunters. They managed it that night though. The vode had found paint somewhere, and many of them now sported stripes of somber grey on their once pristine white armour, to commemorate lovers lost. Others chose flashes of gold for vengeance.

Jango strode in full beskar’gam to the center of the room, Boba trotting at his side. Bo-Katan and Obi-Wan followed behind, Korkie with them, and the other Mando Cuy’val Dar following them. Jango took a knee, and the others followed suit, the motion cascading outward from the center of the room until every being present, even those not culturally Mando, was kneeling. Jango took a deep, wavering breath. He hadn’t sung remembrance aloud in years, unable to bear the litany in the aftermath of Galidraan. For his sons though - for the vode he took another deep, shuddering breath and began the litany.

A dozen Alpha-ARCs he had personally trained had met their maker that day, and were marching far away now. The cadence paused when he finished naming them, but then Bo-Katan took it up, singing out the long string of names of the Nite Owls who had given their lives for the vode. Jango listened carefully, setting their names to memory. Obi-Wan sang out in cadence when Bo-Katan had named her dead, listing the Jedi who had fallen burning from the skies. Their names too, Jango would remember. 

The Cuy’val Dar picked up the cadence then, listing the names - names, not numbers - of the vode who had died under their command in defense of Tipoca City. It took hours to list out all their dead, thousands had fallen to the Separatist droids. Each name though, solidified Jango’s certitude. He was going to hunt the Sith to extinction, and any Separatist that meandered into his sights was fair game. The Great Hunt was on.

* * *

“So Kenobi, huh?” Asajj’s voice crackled across the comms, and Anakin flushed heatedly. Perhaps he’d been a little more obvious than he thought in his sulking. And up here in the storm clouds over Tipoca City, there was little he could do to ignore her - closing the comms while they were flying patrol would be not only overkill, but stupid to boot. Plus it would be a win in Asajj’s column. “I suppose he’s not bad looking for a human male,” she admitted. “A bit hairy for my tastes.”

“All human males are a bit hairy for your tastes, you said Mace-fripping- _Windu_ was too hairy for your tastes,” Anakin grumped, and Asajj laughed brightly, likely taking that for a win as well. Anakin told himself frequently that he didn’t like his - aunt? - but despite that, they kept gravitating towards one another during their down time. It helped that she wanted nothing from him, and also that she could relate quite ably to his troubles fitting in on Coruscant.

“You’re just broody because Kenobi thinks of you like a brother not a lover,” Asajj said, which was a little too close to home. Anakin grunted in irritation. “I bet Knight Muln would take you to bed,” she suggested. For straight aesthetics, it wasn’t a bad suggestion; Anakin knew Garen and Obi-Wan had been crechemates, and that Garen had body-doubled for Obi-Wan when they were younger. Garen had surpassed Obi-Wan in height when they were adolescents, and when they were in sun-rich environments, Obi-Wan went even brighter ginger and sunburned, while Garen just tanned to a deep bronze, his darker hair only lightening a few shades but on a brown spectrum rather than going red.

“Knight Muln will proposition any sentient that stands still long enough,” Anakin countered. “I like to have more of a tie to someone than their promiscuity and attractiveness before I fall into bed with them.” Not that he’d actually been to bed with anyone as yet - he’d been obsessed with Padme for years, and Obi-Wan was the next person he’d fallen for. In truth, appearance had little to do with his attraction to either Padme or Obi-Wan; while he supposed they were both conventionally appealing, it was their kindness, their compassion that Anakin had truly fallen for. 

“Oh, you’re oriented that way,” Asajj said with quiet understanding in her voice. “That’s like - the opposite attraction pattern than I have,” she said with a laugh in her voice. She was quite proud about her ‘conquests’ and neither she nor Knight Tachi were shy about the fact that they were sleeping together, nor about the fact that they both had other partners back at the Temple. She’d reclaimed her pleasure with a vengeance, although she rarely encouraged romance with her partners.

“What are your orders?” Anakin asked after a while, companionable silence having settled between them.

“I’m leaving my ship here for the vode to train with and returning to the Temple on the cruiser with you and Master Obi-Wan,” Asajj said. “I have some tests I skipped out on and Master Jan has asked Master Feemor to take me on a few missions since Master Jan’s mostly back and forth between here and Coruscant with Xanatos. Don’t worry, I’ll still let you hang out with me once we get back to Temple,” she teased. Anakin scoffed, but was secretly a bit pleased. 

Due to the high demand for Obi-Wan’s skills, they’d spent little time in the Temple over the years, and Anakin had never really bonded with his agemates. Obi-Wan had tried to encourage him to create at least loose friendships, and he had some acquaintances from when he was completing his required coursework. Many of the Temple-raised Initiates and Padawans though, had been unwelcoming when Anakin first arrived, and resentful as their training progressed and Anakin was being sent on adventurous missions while they were still working away at their datapads and simulators. Looking back, Anakin was sure his own attitude hadn’t helped either.

* * *

Bemusedly, Obi-Wan watched Bo-Katan drill Korkie and some of the more gregarious vode cadets. She hadn’t really volunteered to run group drill, but she hadn’t sent the cadets away either when they slipped into the training area they were using. The enhancements made to the vode were clear, as was their rigorous training. While much younger than Korkie, it was clear that any one of them could easily wipe the floor with the teenager. 

“Su’cuy Jetii,” Bo called, and Obi-Wan pushed off the wall, loping towards her. She shifted her weight just slightly, perhaps not enough for most to notice, but a Jedi was not _most_. Even as she fired, Obi-Wan rolled, engaging his ‘saber to the training setting. He felt no danger in the Force, and grinned broadly, then threw himself into the acrobatic motions of Ataru, having heard from Dooku and Xanatos how much the vode loved watching that form. Deflecting low-powered blasts was an interesting exercise, requiring a slightly differing speed than full-powered bolts. 

Exchanging grins and encouraging looks, the vode quietly tried to get one another to enter the battle on either side, unspoken that whichever side one of them chose, they would all support. Nearby, Korkie was making similar mental calculations. He knew it was possible to fight Jedi, even to subdue them. But he also knew his father would put up a good fight. Ensuring his own blaster was set so it wouldn’t do more than sting, Korkie watched a few minutes more, then came into the fight on his aunt’s side. 

“Ah, treachery, my own son!” Obi-Wan exclaimed with a wide smile, and a moment later he was airborne, somersaulting over a barrage of stun-blasts laid down by the vode cadets. For the next fifteen minutes, they played what amounted to tag, or perhaps ‘catch the Jedi’ would be more apt. It illustrated well though, just how daunting an opponent a Force user could be, and no few of the young vode developed an even deeper admiration of their progenitor, who they all knew had killed Jedi in battle, no few with his bare hands.

* * *

“Stop sulking,” Mace said firmly, dropping next to Anakin on the bench. Anakin startled hard enough he was halfway to his feet before he realized what had happened, and Mace snorted softly. “You knew the outcome, now put it aside and tell me what you do next.” Anakin huffed in only half-feigned annoyance, but they’d had similar conversations before, since Mace became Obi-Wan’s mission partner. 

“About Obi-Wan? Nothing, nothing I can do really,” Anakin admitted with a shrug. “Except try not to act too much like a gormless bantha.” Mace kindly didn’t make any remarks as to gormless bantha being Anakin’s usual state - while sometimes he teased the younger Jedi, Mace was well aware that that type of commentary would only cut Anakin where he was already aching right now. “I’ve been - I guess you know Obi-Wan wants to nominate me to my Trials.” Mace nodded; they’d discussed it, and he was supportive. He’d seen just what Anakin was capable of since partnering Obi-Wan, and while there would likely be rough patches, but that was true of all Jedi, especially in the first few years of Knighthood. 

“After Dathomir - I’ve been thinking about what sort of Knight I want to be. And I - I know I’ve ranked pretty highly in the annual lightsaber tournaments I’ve been able to compete in, and for a long time - that was what I thought I wanted to do. I mean, I’m good at it. I’m really good at fighting. But it - I realized on Dathomir that it - it doesn’t make me _happy_ ,” Anakin admitted.

“So what does? What do you want to do? And remember too that your path now doesn’t predict your path later, nor does it restrict you from taking other paths,” Mace reminded. Anakin nodded. The Jedi encouraged learning for all, and Knights changed tracks with some frequency depending on their interests, skills, and battle-readiness.

“Honestly? The happiest I’ve been is when I’m volunteering with the refugees and in the creche,” Anakin said. “I don’t have all the qualifications of a crechemaster, but I - I think when we’re called back to Temple I’m going to sign up for some education courses, see if that route is where I want to go. I can always fall back on engineering or piloting, I’m good at them and I enjoy them, but they - I don’t know, there’s something about the way you can just - make a youngling’s entire day just by humouring them for a few minutes or telling them a story or playing push-feather with them.”

“Crechemaster huh? I think it’ll look good on you,” Mace encouraged, and squeezed Anakin’s broad shoulder. “I’ll be the first to admit that when you came to us, I never imagined this outcome. But you’ve become an excellent Jedi Anakin, and you’ll do the Order proud no matter which path you tread.” Anakin flushed heatedly at that, and Mace left before Anakin self-immolated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Mando’a:**  
>  Ad = child (plural ade)  
> Buir = parent  
> Dalyc’buir = female parent  
> Ad’ika = child (diminutive)  
> Su’cuy Jetii = Hey Jedi (more or less)


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sassing politicians and nominating Knights. All in a day's work for Obi-Wan.

“We are _not_ a military Order,” Obi-Wan reiterated firmly, quelling the urge to grind his teeth in frustration at the utter unwillingness to listen of the politicians arrayed around the table. “I understand the Republic is feeling overwhelmed by the demands and aggressions of the Separatists, but the Reformation Act unilaterally disbanded the former military might of the Jedi when it placed them under Republic oversight at year zero of the current calendar. If the Senate insists upon discarding this formative legislation, then the Jedi shall no longer be bound to the Senate’s will. Our institutions have a long and mutually beneficial relationship, I think we can all at least agree to that?”

A rumbling of voices sounded around the table, beings making various signs of disgruntled agreement. Obi-Wan absolutely refused to let the Jedi be drafted as Generals. Some of the war-mongering legislation even proposed that Padawans be commissioned as Commanders, despite that the majority of Padawans were younglings of far less than legal age. Jedi numbers were lower than they had been in decades, centuries perhaps. Sending their younger and less experienced members into war zones wasn’t going to help that trend reverse. 

“The Jedi are trusted throughout the Republic, and clearly have the loyalty of the clones. Would it not benefit us all to take advantage of that?” Palpatine said almost saccharinely. Obi-Wan quelled the urge to wrinkle his nose in disgust. _Take advantage_. The prune-faced barve hadn’t even tried to disguise his intent. 

“And would you have us raise an Army of Light, your Excellency?” Obi-Wan rebuked mildly. Some of the Senators surrounding him and the Chancellor shifted, whether in nervousness or out of shame at their ignorance, Obi-Wan wasn’t certain. “Shall the Jedi reclaim these worlds at the point of a lightsaber, as they did in days of old? A thin line of light encircling the jeweled Core of the Republic, until we are stretched so thin that not even the Force can hold us together, and the outlying Jedi renounce Council and Code and declare themselves Lords of their domains, demanding tribute in return for their protection?”

Any student of history could answer that question if they viewed that history from a Jedi perspective. While the Army of Light had been representative of the Order’s military might during the apogee of their power, it had also been their downfall. The far flung Jedi Lords had played fast and loose with both Code and contemporary doctrine, and Jedi had Fallen by the tens, hundreds, thousands. The Jedi had nearly burned the galaxy to ash with the Army of Light, trying to destroy the Sith and their Darkness. 

“Moreover, it is no secret that the _vode_ are of Mando stock and have super commando training. I know I need not remind this august assemblage of the Neo-Crusaders,” Obi-Wan said coolly. It might have been over a thousand years since Mando’ade commandos rampaged core-ward, but the Republic had not forgotten. Obi-Wan didn’t want to make the vode out to be savages, but the ingrained fear many in the Republic had of traditionalist Mando’ade was a useful tool. Even the mention of the Neo-Crusaders had the Senators almost visibly withdrawing.

“And what then do you suggest, Master Kenobi?” Palpatine asked in that oily way. _Trap, trap, trap_ , the Force whispered in Obi-Wan’s ears, and he smiled mildly. 

“We are but a religious order your Excellency,” Obi-Wan reminded serenely. “What do we know of true war? A Jedi only raises their blade in defense of the helpless. Kamino sought Jedi aid in their time of need. We do not refuse the pleas of the vulnerable simply because they are not part of our great Republic.” The Chancellor dipped his head in concession, face furrowing briefly in disgust and anger. Obi-Wan barely refrained from baring a smug smirk. He had never liked Palpatine, and as their investigations continued, it became clearer and clearer that the man was utterly corrupt. The Jedi continued to give the Chancellor rope though, and watched on carefully to see if he would use it to hang himself or garrote his allies. Until then, they had other matters to attend to - there was a Sith Master to catch. 

When the meeting was adjourned, Obi-Wan rose thankfully, bowing politely to those who crossed his path as he made for the door. The Force was with him, and he made it to the door, then out to the skyways without being stopped. An aircar was waiting, a pair of Antarian Rangers standing by. Obi-Wan didn’t like the fact that protection details had become commonplace even on Coruscant, but it was no secret that the Separatists would pay a small fortune for dead Jedi, and Knights travelling alone had been attacked even on Core worlds. It was becoming quite rare for Jedi to travel alone.

“Good afternoon,” Obi-Wan greeted, and was soon whisked back to the Temple. The ‘trooper guards were at their posts, identical smooth oval masks hiding identical faces, long robes disguising gleaming white armour. The armour, Obi-Wan knew from seeing them inside the Temple without their robes, would be accented with deep gold markings echoing the sigils worked into the traditional robes. Cin Drallig, the Temple Battlemaster, was quite pleased with his new sentinels, and trained them mercilessly, much to the ‘troopers delight.

Returning to his quarters, Obi-Wan wasn’t surprised to find them abandoned. Since their return to the Temple, Anakin had once more put himself in the creche and refuge rotation, although he was also teaching some Initiate level classes in mechanics and engineering. He was happy and calm, and Obi-Wan would be speaking to the Council that afternoon to recommend him for Knighthood. Anakin had learned all Obi-Wan could teach him, and a bit more besides from his various other instructors over the years. Everything else Anakin needed to know to become a truly great Jedi Knight could only be gained through experience. 

Anakin and Obi-Wan had spoken about the promotion extensively; after all it was only a year or so ago that Anakin had Fallen. But with the help of his mind healer and the support of the Lineage, and the discovery of a desired path helping teach and care for the youngest and most vulnerable members of the Order, Anakin was ready. He would always struggle, that went without saying. But all of them did in their ways. 

Obi-Wan wasn’t without his own hurdles, although now that he’d accepted help and was regularly seeing a mind healer himself, those hurdles seemed far more surmountable than they had in the past. He was confident though that the Council would agree to Anakin’s readiness, and trial Anakin for the Knighthood he had more than earned in the past months. In some ways, Anakin’s own internalized sense of inferiority had been one of the main obstacles in preparing him for Knighthood, and that was a struggle Obi-Wan understood quite well. 

So it was that Obi-Wan and Anakin stood before the Council that afternoon. Obi-Wan was still becoming accustomed to the larger group of Masters that Shaak Ti had named to the Council, although he agreed with her reasoning. By elevating the Service Corps, and taking their needs and desires seriously, she ensured that they were perceived as a truly equal path to Knighthood. By adding advisors, she made the Council more accessible to the rest of the Order. Both were, in Obi-Wan’s mind, solid advances into ensuring that their youngest and most vulnerable members were better cared for, and better prepared for the realities of life outside the Temple.

“Masters of the High Council, I come before you today to nominate my Padawan, Anakin Skywalker for the Trials for Knighthood. He has learned all I can teach him and more, and faced trials of spirit and flesh admirably,” Obi-Wan said somewhat proudly, shooting a smiling glance back over his shoulder. 

“Padawan Skywalker, do you feel yourself ready to leave Knight Kenobi’s tutelage and face your Trials?” Shaak asked regally, a break from the traditional formulaic response, but one Obi-Wan could appreciate. Tradition had its place, but he saw no reason to do something solely for tradition’s sake. 

“While I am loathe to leave my mentor, I trust his evaluation of my readiness,” Anakin said carefully. “I enjoy being at Obi-Wan’s side, but I know we need more Knights in the field.”

“The need for more Knights is not your concern Padawan, and if you are unready, you need not be rushed to your trials,” Plo Koon said kindly, and Anakin dipped his head in appreciation. He’d gotten to know the Kel Dorian Master better in the past year, and begun to respect and even admire him, rather than fear him as a Master, as he had once feared most of the Masters on the Council. But with Mace’s greater presence in his life, so too had Anakin seen the other Councillors off duty, complaining about the red tape they had to wade through to actually help people or bitching about the unreliability of the shipments they depended on to bring food aid to worlds where they had promised help.

“I - I am ready,” Anakin said more firmly. “I cannot hide in Obi-Wan’s cloak forever.” No few of the Masters smiled at that, remembering well when Anakin had done just that as a younger Padawan, all but clinging to Obi-Wan’s legs when they had to stand before the Council. 

“Meditate tonight,” Shaak Ti declared, “you begin your Trials at dawn.” Anakin blinked, having not expected to be set to his Trials so quickly, then bowed, anxiety and pride churning in his gut. He had anticipated a bit more warning, although in a way he was glad of the quick turnaround; it left him with less time to worry himself into a state. Having gotten to know Asajj better flying patrol over Tipoca City, Anakin had promised her his afternoon. He commed her to let her know he would be facing his trials come morning; his meditations would begin at sundown, and if he wanted to spar with her and eat, it would have to be before then. 

To no one’s surprise save perhaps his own, Anakin passed his Trials with ease. Due to Obi-Wan’s reputation as both Sith-slayer and negotiator, they had been in high demand throughout Anakin’s apprenticeship, and he had been trained to a high level as a result. Stumbling out of the Chamber of Trial at the culmination, Anakin was engulfed in his mentor’s arms. He clung to Obi-Wan, straining to steady his heart rate and release the riotous emotions that had been roused in him. 

“You have done me so proud my dear,” Obi-Wan murmured, carding his fingers through Anakin’s spiky, sweat soaked hair. “And more, done yourself proud. My Knight.” Anakin squeezed Obi-Wan at that, tremulous joy engulfing him. 

“Thank you for your tutelage my Master,” Anakin said, and for the first time in his life, there was no resentment underpinning the word, no shame in calling someone Master. For when he was raised a Knight, Obi-Wan would rightly be made a Jedi Master. Anakin could think of no one more deserving of that title.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin's a Knight of the Order. Now what?

“So will you take another Padawan?” Anakin asked as he packed up his few belongings to move from his Padawan room in Obi-Wan’s chambers to the Knights dormitories. 

“Not immediately,” Obi-Wan said. “And even when I do, they will not be a replacement for you.” Anakin flushed slightly under Obi-Wan’s affectionate glare, and nodded. “Mace and I will continue working as partners for a while, although he’s mentioned taking a Padawan of his own. It’s been some time since Depa was Knighted, and she’s looking for a Padawan herself.”

“I’ve seen her watching the Initiates,” Anakin agreed with a nod. “I think she has her eye on Dume.”

“A clever boy,” Obi-Wan said with a nod. “Depa has much to teach.” Although they did not see a lot of one another, Obi-Wan had found Depa and her sister Sar easy to get along with. He thought they would be good friends if they weren’t all so busy trying to keep the Separatist Crisis from escalating into full blown war. There hadn’t been any large scale attacks since Kamino, but there were incursions throughout the Outer Rim, and numerous planets were clamouring for Jedi aid. “Have you received your first assignments?” Obi-Wan asked, and Anakin nodded. 

“I’m taking some remedial EduCorps classes on education theory and instruction praxis, but I’m being officially posted to the creche, and to liaise between the creche and the refuges,” Anakin said proudly. “I might take a few courses in Healing too, and off hours, I’ll probably be giving Knight Muln some trouble with the starfighter corps.” Obi-Wan laughed at that, pleased that his friend and his Padawan seemed to get on so well. It hadn’t always been that way, but they seemed to becoming true friends independant of Obi-Wan’s relationships with both of them. Their shared interest in piloting certainly helped. “And you?”

“Still investigative work,” Obi-Wan said with a dramatic sigh that earned him a small chuckle from Anakin as planned. “Not that I mind, but I had hoped we’d be making more progress. We - well, it’s slow going to say the least,” he said more seriously, biting his tongue to keep from explaining the whole mess. They were all but certain at this point that Hego Damask had been a Sith. The trouble was, Damask was more than ten years dead, which meant that unless he had learned a method of influencing others from beyond the grave - which wasn’t entirely out of the question - they still didn’t know who the actual Sith Lord pulling the strings was. Certainly someone Damask had associated with, but that left a great number of possibilities. 

“Ugh, glad I’m not involved,” Anakin said with a grin. He’d never had much patience for the fiddly (and _tedious_ , Force!) investigative work that they were sometimes tasked with. While the loss of his arm had checked his tendency to rush into a fight, that didn’t at all diminish his inclination toward direct action.

“In a way, I am too,” Obi-Wan admitted. “It’s awful work.” 

“Always protecting me Obi-Wan,” Anakin said with a smile and reached out to ruffle Obi-Wan’s hair. Obi-Wan scowled and Anakin kindly didn’t mention that the expression was much more adorable than intimidating. “How are things with - your kid?” he asked, still vaguely uncomfortable with the notion. A child, Obi-Wan’s own blood, and unknown until Korkie had stowed away on the Mandalorian ship that came to Kamino’s aid. 

“Korkie’s doing well,” Obi-Wan said with a slight smile and a sigh. “Satine isn’t pleased that he came to Kamino with us, but I can’t blame her for worrying. I think he’ll be grounded for quite some time. He’s allowed to contact me though, so we’re getting to know one another via holos. It’s - new. I never imagined I would have children, but we were on the run so long, I suppose it’s not unforeseen that our birth control might lapse. I can understand too why Satine can’t claim him openly as her son; his life is in enough danger being a Kryze. It might have been easier if he had been Force sensitive, the creche would have taken him happily. He’d still be in danger of course, as every Jedi is, but he’d be better equipped to face that danger.”

“You’re disappointed then, that he’s not a Jedi?”

“No, not really in truth,” Obi-Wan admitted. “You know how hard this life is. He’s happy, and has a family that loves him and who he loves in return. I can’t regret that, although I do wish I had known about him while he was a child, even if I couldn’t be by his side.” Anakin nodded thoughtfully. He knew that Jedi raised in the Temple like Obi-Wan had different perceptions of familial relationships than he himself did, and he was still learning to accept those variances as valid.

“So are you moving in with Mace?” Anakin asked after a while, and Obi-Wan glanced over, trying to gauge the reasoning behind the question. They hadn’t discussed Anakin’s crush since Obi-Wan had gently let him down, but now that he was aware of it, Obi-Wan could feel Anakin’s eyes on him at times, could see the heat in Anakin’s gaze, the lingering possessiveness. 

“We’re thinking about it,” Obi-Wan admitted. “He’s used to living alone though, so we’re still talking it through.” Anakin nodded. It was the next logical step, he supposed. He didn’t like it, but then, he flat out wasn’t a fan of Obi-Wan being with someone other than him. He’d been addressing it with Healer Anu - he knew he was possessive. And he was getting better. But that was part of the reason he was moving out so quickly. He felt he had to do it right away, or he’d let himself wallow in sharing a home with Obi-Wan, which would do nothing to help him move on. Obi-Wan loved him, and no, it wasn’t the romantic love Anakin desired, but it would have to be enough. 

Anakin turned that thought over in his head, mentally testing it. After the manipulations he’d been subject to were discovered, he had taken to examining his mental processes carefully when he could. Sometimes he had to make snap decisions, and that wouldn’t be helped. The conditioning he’d been subject to though - it seemed to filter into his more drawn out decision making more than his snap judgements. 

Could he be happy without Obi-Wan as a lover? Yes, Anakin responded to himself almost immediately. He had known great happiness as Obi-Wan’s apprentice and friend. Things wouldn’t be the same; they’d no longer be living together, going on missions together, seeing one another first thing each morning and last thing every night. Which, Anakin accepted, would probably be a good thing, so far as letting go of his crush was concerned. He had contemplated his imminent independence at length during his night-long meditations prior to his trials. The Force had been muddled, and now - now Anakin questioned that feeling. Was it his mind misinterpreting the signals of that ineffable energy? Or was it the shadow of the Dark side corrupting the signal itself? Anakin cast his memory back, brows drawing down in a frown.

“Anakin?” Obi-Wan asked, his tone laced with gentle concern. He would not push, Anakin knew, and yet -

“I was hoping you might be able tell me more about the Sith temple beneath us,” Anakin said after a moment of silence. “I felt something,” he elaborated at Obi-Wan’s confused expression. “Last night, when I was meditating in preparation for my Trials. It felt like - something is stirring down there. Something that feels like - but, not - not like the spirit we drove from the Sith temple on Almas. I hadn’t anything to compare it to before, but then Dathomir and Almas felt so awfully familiar to Coruscant. This - this felt like something stronger and more dangerous though.”

“I know it is there, but not much more about it,” Obi-Wan admitted. “There is no ignorance indeed. Do you want me to bother Mace about it?” Anakin wavered, his hesitations about the Council surfacing before he could quite banish them. No, Mace had proven that even if he and Anakin didn’t always agree, Mace’s concern was with all Jedi, with their Order - their _people_. Anakin nodded. 

“It didn’t feel - urgent? But it can’t be a good thing that it felt - active,” Anakin said carefully. He sighed, looking over his room. He hadn’t much to pack up, mostly securing things the housekeeping droids might misplace or ‘accidentally’ recycle. “I think that’s everything,” he mused quietly, and Obi-Wan rose from his perch on the mattress. “I’ll see you around Obi-Wan,” Anakin said, and hugged Obi-Wan tight. 

“Force be with you Anakin,” Obi-Wan said fondly, brushing a kiss against his cheek. “I know you’ll do me proud.” Anakin flushed, and retreated. Garen had commed about taking Anakin out for a celebratory drink and late-meal with some of the younger Knight-Pilots, and Anakin was inclined to let him. He liked all the Knight-Pilots he knew well enough, and enjoyed their company. Many of them had rotated through Kamino after the battle, patrolling the rainy skies over Tipoca City, and he had gotten to know them better then. Plus, Asajj would likely be invited as well due to her friendship with Knight Tachi, who was friendly with Garen. 

Anakin and Asajj had bristled at one another at first - too similar to fall easily into friendship. But over time their frustrations as fellow latecomers to the Order had drawn them together if only to complain, and they had been getting on quite well recently, although they were also usually in different sectors from one another. She had been practically effusive in her congratulations though - and even smiled - when the members of his line and Mace’s had lauded his Knighthood at mid-meal.

Small but thoughtful gifts from Bruck and Mace had also been pleasant surprises. Even more unexpected was how easily he’d fallen into conversation with one of Mace’s grand-padawans; Stam Reath was a few years Anakin’s junior, but an accomplished Padawan nonetheless, with a wry sense of humour that was evidently endemic in that line. Due to the years between them in age and their differing schedules, they’d not yet met, but he complemented Anakin and Asajj both, being a bit more laid back and pragmatic, and with enough mission experience not to goggle like an Initiate at some of their escapades. Despite that, Asajj had rather delighted in making Stam blush with tales of her conquests. 

Plan for the night settled, Anakin left behind his new quarters in the Knight’s Hall and went to find Asajj. At this time of day, it was equally likely she’d be training with her Master or sparring with some of her female friends. Anakin just hoped he could still meet their eyes after Asajj’s bragging about how good Aayla Secura and Siri Tachi tasted, or her innuendo laced tones as she complimented Master Ti’s - ferocity. It had sounded like Secura and Tachi at least were proper friends of Asajj’s, not just flings. And he was pointedly not thinking about Asajj insinuating she had slept with the Master of the Order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Asajj has not actually slept with the Master of the Order. But she likes making Anakin blush, and it’s very easy to do so by insinuating things like that.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His Padawan is Knighted and off on his own. It should be a time of joy.

Left alone in the resoundingly empty apartment once Anakin had left, Obi-Wan sighed, then went to the datasuite. He might as well get some work done, he told himself, and resisted the urge to reach for the training bond, reassure himself of Anakin's wellbeing. Anakin was a Knight now, and they would _both_ have to learn how to work with that change. Forensic accounting might not be his favorite task, but doing it might be the key to tracking down the Sith. He worked for some time before tedium gave way to frustration, then closed down the console and headed for the training salles, reminding himself once again that reaching for Anakin would be unfair to them both. 

At the first salle, junior Padawans were receiving instruction from Battlemaster Drallig. Ahsoka and her friend Barriss were in the corner, working katas under Luminara and Bruck’s close supervision. Obi-Wan debated going in, but he was feeling more like sparring than instructing, so he continued on. Quinlan and Aayla were in the next salle, Siri watching them critically. Knowing Siri was always ready to cross ‘sabers with him, Obi-Wan pushed open the door. 

“Oh good,” Siri said, looking over with a vulpine smile. “I was getting bored waiting for one of these two to win so I would have an opponent.”

“A Jedi comes to serve,” Obi-Wan said with a facetiously ostentatious bow, and Siri scoffed affectionately. “Where’s Ferus?” he asked, shrugging out of his cloak. 

“He’s on an instruction rotation,” Siri said. “Grumpy as a nexu with a toothache about it too.” Obi-Wan laughed, and then their blades were crashing together. They fought fast and deft, Siri the aggressor, Obi-Wan defending as had become his habit. Her skills, Obi-Wan thought, hadn’t diminished in the least. They were all in high demand though, the Jedi spread thin throughout the galaxy. And if what Obi-Wan had heard from Mace was true, it would get worse before it got better. 

Master Ti intended to completely rework the way requests for aid came to the Order. Historically, a Senator would submit a request to the Senate, and the Chancellor would pass on the requests they deemed worthy of Jedi attention. In theory, it kept them from being inundated with requests. In practice it cut them off from those they purported to assist, and often led to politically ‘unimportant’ worlds being overlooked despite their need. The Outer Rim had been all but abandoned by the Order, very much, according to some, to the Order’s detriment. Anakin hadn’t been wrong when he said that every available Knight was needed. 

The plan as Obi-Wan understood it was to send notice to the Chancellery and Senate; all requests for aid would now be made by Jedi Watchmen. There was at least one in almost every sector, and Master Ti would be deploying many more to cover sectors where there was no Jedi stationed, out to the very edges of Republic space and even on unaligned worlds like Tatooine. 

Shaak would also be shortening the duty rotation for Watchmen, so they weren’t so isolated on the thousands upon thousands of Republic worlds. If a Senator or planetary representative believed they needed aid and the Watchman had not yet requested it, they could submit a request directly to a newly created office in the Temple, and that request would be investigated at the very least. They were also authorizing Watchmen to go on Search for Force sensitive children up to age seven. The population of Jedi had been dropping for years, and they couldn’t help but see the Sith’s hand in the shadows behind their declining numbers.

“Master Altis is bringing the _Chu’unthor_ to Coruscant,” Mace said that evening as they ate in the Masters’ refectory. Obi-Wan blinked, then looked over in surprise. 

“Why are you telling me?” Obi-Wan asked. Mace looked slightly annoyed for a moment, then shook his head. 

“When was the last time you checked your messages?” Mace asked with a smile. Obi-Wan drew his comm from its belt pouch, and grimaced at all the missed message notifications. 

“I turned the sound off while I was sparring this afternoon,” Obi-Wan admitted, “forgot to turn it back on.” Mace shook his head with a smile, then stole the comm unit and scrolled to a specific message before handing it back.

> _To: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Master  
>  From: Jedi High Council  
>  Re: New Assignment_
> 
> _You are being requested to join the High Council in an advisory position regarding military matters and concerns regarding Temple security. You will be working in this capacity with Cin Drallig, Battlemaster, and Jan Dooku, Master._

“Oh,” Obi-Wan said somewhat weakly. “This is not-”

“No, not what we planned on, but since when does real life follow what we dream up?” Mace said gently. Obi-Wan sighed. 

“And why is Master Altis returning after so long away?” Obi-Wan asked. 

“He’s been patrolling the Outer Rim,” Mace said, and Obi-Wan nodded, because he’d known that much at least. “I think Shaak wants to reconcile him a little more, and likely Master Qel-Bertuk as well. They’re both doing work that benefits the Order as a whole despite their differences with Yoda, and Shaak wants to show her approval of that. Besides, I think - despite the old troll - your Lineage has convinced most of us that attachment is a - rather fluid area.” Obi-Wan snorted softly at that.

“Blame Dooku, he’s the one who decided training Qui-Gon was a good idea,” Obi-Wan teased, and Mace laughed softly. 

“The old man’s grown on me, despite being an ex-Sith and half heretic,” Mace admitted. 

“You just like that there’s someone else in the Temple who gives you a proper fight in the salle,” Obi-Wan teased, and Mace shrugged. Obi-Wan wasn’t wrong, after all. 

“He has a way of convincing you to look at sides of an argument you hadn’t considered,” Mace said with no small amount of admiration, and Obi-Wan couldn’t help but glow a little with quiet pride in both his lover and his grandmaster. Although very different from one another, both were still Jedi Obi-Wan respected and admired. It pleased him immensely that they respected and admired one another in turn. “So - place to yourself,” Mace said as they turned in their trays, and Obi-Wan flushed slightly. 

“So opportunistic,” Obi-Wan chided primly, and Mace chuckled softly, then utilized the Force in an entirely unappropriate manner to stroke down the length of Obi-Wan’s spine. Obi-Wan nearly jumped out of his boots, then narrowed his eyes at his lover. “I ought to tell you no just for that,” Obi-Wan murmured. 

“But you won’t,” Mace said confidently. 

“I won’t,” Obi-Wan agreed with a smile and a shrug. “Although if Anakin’s actually gone out with Garen, he may stagger up to the door a few hours after midnight, having got turned around on his way to the Knight’s Hall. I’m told that’s the done thing for new Knights.” Mace snorted softly at that. 

“I have difficulty imagining that boy drunk,” Mace admitted. 

“Doesn’t happen often,” Obi-Wan agreed. “He’s good at filtering with all the practice he’s got over the years, and dislikes the loss of control. He more than many has seen the troubles drunkenness can bring.”

“And he’s out with Garen?” Mace asked, and Obi-Wan shrugged. 

“He spent a lot of time with the fighter wings on Kamino,” Obi-Wan reminded. “He and Garen have always gotten on fairly well since Garen never treated him like a snotty kid. They start talking engines and schematics and I clock out.” Mace snorted softly. Like all Jedi, Mace was a capable pilot, but like Obi-Wan it wasn’t a task he took joy in, not like Anakin and the Knight Pilots did. Obi-Wan smiled softly. “It’s going to be strange, not having him around all the time. I’ve never - I’ve never really been alone before.”

Uncaring that they were on a public walkway, Mace gently laid his arm around Obi-Wan’s shoulders and tugged him close. While Knighting tested the attachment of a Padawan to his Master, it went both ways. And Mace well knew how attached to Anakin Obi-Wan was. He might not love Anakin romantically, but that did not make Obi-Wan’s love for Anakin any less powerful. 

“You’ve trained him well, and he will be here in the Temple,” Mace reminded, shepherding Obi-Wan into his quarters. Obi-Wan nodded silently, and Mace enfolded him in a warm embrace. Obi-Wan shivered, burrowing against Mace’s chest. 

“Tell me it gets easier?” Obi-Wan requested.

“You get used to it,” Mace said instead, not willing to lie. “But you trust in the goodness you’ve seen in them for years. You trust that you’ve taught them well. And in a couple years, when the pain’s scabbed over, you find yourself thinking fondly of teaching one on one, watching the Initiates as they scamper through their tests.” 

Obi-Wan laughed wetly at that, and Mace managed to undress them both and bundle them into bed. He’d half expected Obi-Wan’s desolation, and was only upset he hadn’t been able to stave it off. But then, he’d been distraught when he Knighted his first Padawan, despite how proud Echuu had made him since, and just as saddened when he Knighted Depa. _Attachment_ Mace chided himself with a sad smile, and curled closer around Obi-Wan.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meetings, missions, exorcisms. You know, business as usual in the Coruscant Jedi Temple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bluedragoninamber also just added [Those Left To Carry On ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12269625) to the series, _Jan Dooku was her Sith master, and Asajj Ventress was his Sith apprentice. Now that they have returned to the Light and the Jedi, Jan and Asajj must figure out their new relationship as Jedi master and Jedi padawan._ Check it out!

“So Knight Secura to Ryloth to mediate between Syndulla and the elected government, Knight Cath to keep an eye on the Corporate Sector, Master Ze and Padawan Minara to Muunilist, Master Ghart to Dantooine with the ExplorCorps mission to restart the excavations at the old Temple, who am I missing?” Shaak listed out. The others shook their heads - she had wrapped up the assignment queue for the moment. They were sending Jedi out as quickly as they came off furlough or the injury list, as soon as they were Knighted and mission ready unless they were Jedi who - like Anakin - had specifically requested positions that kept them in the Temple.

“The working group has a request,” Obi-Wan said, as somehow despite that there were a handful of other Masters in both the investigatory group on the Sith and the High Council, he had been elected to speak on their behalf. Sometimes being the most junior member of the group had distinct disadvantages. Master Ti nodded, giving Obi-Wan the go ahead. “In the course of our investigations recently, we’ve been picking up a lot of chatter regarding a bounty on the Chancellor, specified alive and unharmed. While he’s not my favorite politician, the working group feels that despite his disdain for having Jedi protectors, we should keep a close eye on things there,” Obi-Wan said. 

“And what does the working group propose?” Shaak asked. Obi-Wan grimaced. He didn’t much like the plan that was being proposed, but he didn’t have any better suggestions. 

“Have a Jedi who isn’t easily recognized, perhaps from one of the other Temples or one of the Shadows, impersonate a bounty hunter. It’s said that Moralo Eval is putting together a group to hunt this bounty, and he’s already recruited Cad Bane. If we can get a Jedi inside, they’ll be able to pass information and prevent too much damage. Hopefully, we can prevent a kidnapping, but if the hunters _are_ successful, we’ll have someone in place to ensure the Chancellor’s safety,” Obi-Wan explained.

“You don’t sound terribly enthusiastic Master Kenobi,” Shaak said with mild amusement. 

“I’m not, Master Ti,” Obi-Wan admitted. “But I have no better suggestions. While the Chancellor is only one man, and I don’t believe any of us think he should be placed above the Republic, if he were kidnapped by Separatists, I do not doubt he would be subjected to torture and possibly forced to betray the Republic. It is better that we protect him in secret, despite his disinclination to accept a Jedi bodyguard.”

“I will speak to Masters Altis and Qel-Bartuk,” Shaak declared. “Their Knights have mostly escaped the spotlight that we’ve been subjected to since the attack on Kamino.” Obi-Wan nodded, as did the Councillors. Shaak turned her regal gaze next to Dooku, who was present via holo rather than in person that day.

“Speaking of Kamino?” Dooku said with a slight smirk, and Master Ti dipped her head in acknowledgement. 

“The vode that remain here are rather jealous of those who have taken up duties elsewhere. I would like to propose that vulnerable installations such as the nysillin project on Felucia be accorded a battalion for security, at minimum. It would give the vode purpose, and also normalize their presence throughout the Republic as peacekeepers rather than foreign soldiers. I would also like to suggest that smaller groups, squadrons perhaps, be granted leave to function in similar capacity to the Antarian Rangers. The Rangers have had a hand in their training, and are always looking to bolster their numbers.”

“Speak to the Antarian government,” Shaak suggested. “See if you can ensure citizenship for any vode that serve with the Rangers.” Dooku nodded, tapping at his datapad to make a note. “Very well. Finally, the most recent vote for Grand Master did not return the required supermajority. We will vote again next month, as we have since Master Yoda’s resignation. Any other business?” she asked, looking around the room.

“Obi-Wan?” Mace prompted, and Obi-Wan blinked a moment before remembering their earlier conversation about the ancient Sith temple. 

“Ah. Yes. The other night when meditating prior to his trials, Knight Skywalker felt something - _off_. Something - from the temple below,” Obi-Wan said carefully. He still felt more than a little uncertain about his place as an advisor to the Council, and knew that more than one Councillor was frequently exasperated with he and Anakin both. “He compared it to the sensations of the Sith temple at Almas and the shadowed nature of the Force on Dathomir,” Obi-Wan said, and the Councillors bristled at the implication.

“Capped, that temple was,” Yoda said. “Sealed, it is said to be.” Obi-Wan leaned back, not certain he wished to argue with Yoda but equally sure _something_ needed to be done. The ancient being was but an advisor to the Council these days, not a Councillor himself, and happier for it, in truth. But the weight of age and generations of tradition had all but ingrained unwillingness to defy Yoda in the Jedi. Only his own direct lineage - and those more recently trained rather than the many times great grand padawans that surely roamed the Temple - were willing to openly argue with him.

“Anakin said it didn’t feel urgent, but I can’t help but think we would be remiss if we didn’t investigate more fully,” Obi-Wan pushed gently. “I ask only. Any of you willing, to come with me into the lower levels and see what light we might shed on what dwells there.”

“I will be with you,” Mace said firmly. _In this as in all things_ , Obi-Wan heard through their bond. He smiled slightly at his lover, pleased to have that assurance. 

“I am curious as well,” Shaak said, turning to Yoda. “Is there any more you can tell us?”

“Very little we know,” Yoda admitted. “Ignorance, we have allowed to fester. Old, that temple is; old, it was, before to Coruscant we came. Defeated, those Sith were said to be, driven out they were, vanquished. But many old truths, misremembered are.” A number of the others nodded, the Force eddying through the room in a way Obi-Wan could best interpret as agitation. “Go with you, I will,” Yoda said, and many of the others also made quiet indications of their intention to accompany Obi-Wan. He nodded in return, and they soon had the expedition arranged. 

They waited until the younglings were all asleep in the crèche, guarded by meditating Sentinels should they rouse something beyond their ability to placate. Obi-Wan couldn't imagine though, that the Force would alert them to a foe he could not vanquish, not here in his home, the Temple that had nurtured him from childhood. The Masters descended down until the lifts no longer ran, then deeper yet, glow rods held aloft as they trod where only cats and rats and roaches had roamed for hundreds of years.

Over a hundred stories down, they reached the cap. A massive golden plate embedded with the symbol of the Order in faceted kyber crystals. Other sigils of warding and protection were carved and encrusted on the seal, and around it slowly circled a moat of stale water. Eight gilded bronzium statues surrounded the seal, four facing in, four facing out. They were Jedi without question, but depicted in the rich robes and armour of ages past. The four facing out would be ancient Lords of far flung worlds. Those facing in, Masters of the central Temple.

“Never come this far before, have I,” Yoda said, his reedy voice reverberating in the stillness. “Like it down here, I do not.” Obi-Wan fought down a snort of amusement. It _was_ rather unpleasant. The soft sounds of vermin scurrying and water dripping gave the place an air of disuse.

“How exactly did you defeat the spirit of Almas?” Plo Koon asked, and Obi-Wan smiled wryly. 

“I meditated on it Master Koon,” Obi-Wan admitted.

“Hmmmm,” Yoda hummed unhelpfully, and Obi-Wan took a deep breath, then let the Force guide. Eyes closed, he stepped forward carefully, fording the narrow moat and ascending the golden seal. The kyber hummed discordantly beneath him. Carefully he found the flaw, and knelt, his hands spanning the source of the trouble. Behind him, he could hear the others arranging themselves to assist him. The Masters of the High Council were nearest to him, and then the other Councillors, then Masters, then Knights. 

Slowly, Obi-Wan sank into the Force, observing at first, seeking the chaos that had Anakin described troubling him during his meditations. The eddies of the Force buffeted him, and Obi-Wan let it, sinking deeper, searching, opening himself until he was all but unshielded before the Force. The scope of the energy that guided them could be utterly terrifying when confronted in this manner. Now though, he saw what Anakin had meant.

_I am one with the Force and the Force is with me_ , Obi-Wan thought, the mantra of the Whills. It was an almost meditative chant, settling him deep and deeper yet in the Force. The strength and support of the other Masters reached out to him, and Obi-Wan sank deeper. 

_I am one with the Force and the Force is with me_ , Obi-Wan thought, and the mantra echoed back from ten, twenty, fifty, a hundred other minds. Tiny points of light flared further away. _I am one with the Force and the Force is with me_ , they repeated mentally, and Force users the world over, the system, the _galaxy_ over echoed the mantra back. 

Obi-Wan sank deeper and deeper into the Force, opening himself as he had on Almas, broadcasting his quiet but fierce love for this Temple which housed his family, his Order. This was their home of a thousand years. Around him, the other Masters generously offered their own strength and compassion, their will to protect their Order and its most vulnerable members who slumbered above. Linked as they were, their light grew and grew, brighter and brighter. Taking a deep breath, Obi-Wan let out a clear tone.

“Let the Force be my light,” Obi-Wan sang in the ancient High Galactic in which their oldest rituals were preserved. In days long gone, such songs had been regarded as spells, magic. The Jedi used such things rarely, not wishing to open their traditions to superstitious speculation. But the chanting focused them in the Force and synchronised their intent. For a foe they could not physically fight, they had no better weapon or defense.

“Let not the Dark be my guide,” the gathered Jedi answered.

“Stay back Darkness-”

“-Never tempt me with corrupt things.”

“What you offer me is evil-”

“-You drink the poison yourself,” they sang back and forth in call and response, Obi-Wan leading. The corruption weakened but did not disappear, and if it was anything like the spirit at Almas, it would fight back hardest when it was almost defeated. At the center of their linked psyches, Obi-Wan made himself a vessel, a channel of Light. Yoda hummed a thin note, then chanted the next string of ancient verse:

> ”I command you, unclean spirit, whoever you are, along with all your corruption now attacking this Temple of Light, by the mysteries of the Force, that you tell me by some sign your name, and the day and hour of your departure. I command you, moreover, to obey me to the letter, I who am a servant of Light despite my unworthiness; nor shall you be emboldened to harm in any way this creature of Light, or the bystanders, or any of their possessions.”

The Darkness struggled against their will, trying to retain its grasp on the power centered there. The Temple was built over a nexus in the Force, a nexus which had grown shadowed and corrupted under the reign of the Sith Empire. A nexus the Jedi had reclaimed when that Empire was destroyed, its Dark Temples demolished. But the shadow had not faded entirely, and under their blind eyes, it had grown in strength. Mace sang a note next, low and strong, then began to chant:

> ”I cast you out, unclean spirit, along with every Dark power of the Sith, every spectre from the netherworld, and all your foul corruption; in the Light of the Force, begone and stay far from this Temple of Light. For it is the Force that commands you, the Force that flows through all creation. It is the Force that commands you, the Force that eddies and swells from this Nexus. Hearken, therefore, and flee, Darkness, enemy of the Jedi, foe of all sentients, begetter of death, robber of life, corrupter of justice, root of all evil and vice; seducer of beings, betrayer of worlds, instigator of envy, font of avarice, fomenter of discord, author of pain and sorrow. Begone then, in the Light of the Force, forever and ever.”

The spirit of the Sith struggled harder, reaching out to Mace’s own innate Darkness, his anger and obdurate intractability. Mace could feel his fellows all around him though, their belief in his strength and their willingness to fight at his side, to lend him strength if he should falter. He felt Obi-Wan’s selfless love, the support of his beloved Padawans, of his ancient Master. He resisted, his own light flaring bright against the shadow that tried to ensnare him. Shaak Ti sounded a resonant note next, then _sang_ , and the Force sang with her:

> ”I adjure you, ancient spirit, by the judge of the living and the dead, by the Force, by the energies of the whole universe, to depart forthwith, along with your corruptions, from this Temple of Light, which is a refuge in the Force. I adjure you again, not by my weakness but by the might of the Force, to depart from this Temple of Light, blessed by the energies of the Force. Yield, therefore, yield not to my own person but to the servants of the Force. For it is the power of the Light that compels you, that brought you low.
> 
> “Depart before the Force that broke asunder the Dark and led souls forth to Light. May the corruption that afflicts this Temple of Light, the fear that afflicts this Temple of Light, descend on you. Make no resistance nor delay in departing from this Temple, for it has pleased the Force to dwell in this Nexus. Do not think of despising my command because you know me to be unworthy. It is the Force itself that commands you; the peace of the Force the commands you. Knowledge in the Force commands you; serenity in the Force commands you; harmony in the Force commands you. The Force commands you. 
> 
> “Depart, then, transgressor. Depart, seducer, full of lies and cunning, foe of virtue, persecutor of the innocent. Give place, abomination, give way to the Light, in whom you found none of your works. For the Force has already stripped you of your powers and laid waste your kingdom, bound you prisoner and plundered your weapons. The Force has cast you forth into the outer darkness, where everlasting ruin awaits you and your abettors.”

Deep beneath them, entombed in shadows and pain, the last vestiges of the almost forgotten Sith were burned out of existence. With an eye searing burst of brilliance, and clap of utter soundlessness, the shadows were purged from the Temple and the veil enshrouding Coruscant appreciably thinned. On the golden seal, the matrices of the crystals aligned and began to hum, a soothing vibration that all was well.

A few hours after dawn the following day, Sidious woke with a blinding headache, his rheumy eyes leaking pained tears. Pain only made him stronger, he reminded himself, and yet he felt unaccountably weak. When Sidious rose, he trembled like a man of far more advanced years. Something was wrong. Wrapping impregnable shields around his Force presence, he reached out, and nearly howled in fury as it became clear that not only had his leech on the ancient Sith temple been broken, the temple itself had been scoured with Light, every remnant of corruption cleansed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first short ritual Obi-Wan and the other Jedi sing / chant is adapted from the Benedictine Vade retro satana, a medieval exorcism rite. The other pieces are adapted from The Catholic Rite of Exorcism.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While the tooka is away the mice will play.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure you've noticed my nod to the harden arc in last chapter, and this chapter will mention jabiim. as this is a very different 'verse, these things won't happen in the same manner as in canon. i'll be hand-waving and glossing over a fair bit, because as much fun as fight scenes are, I do eventually want to finish this pic ;)

Obi-Wan couldn’t help but gape in stunned horror as the news flashed over the holoscreens. Savage Opress had arrived a few days before from Almas as a surprise choice to undertake the deep cover operation posing as a bounty hunter, and despite Anakin’s teasing that the Dathomiri Zabrak had a crush on Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan had been glad to see Savage, and how well he was doing, and hear about little Feral’s progress as well. There was even talk about transferring Feral to the Coruscant Temple as a gesture of good faith, since he was still young enough to be chosen as a Padawan and was more given to the physical uses of the Force than the mental exercises in which Almas specialized.

While the Jedi attention had been focused on protecting the Chancellor such as they were able, Separatist fleets had laid blockades around Ryloth, Christophsis and Raxus Prime. While the tooka is away the mice will play, Obi-Wan reminded himself. Of course the Sith had moved in places the Jedi weren't watching as closely. The trouble was, Obi-Wan wasn't sure who was who in this situation. Were the Jedi the hunting cats? Or the trapped rats? 

Such aggression could only be a response to the Corporate Sector senators being expelled from the Senate and Judicial investigations being opened into Senate corruption. At first glance, Raxus Prime and Christophsis were of little strategic value. The former planet being a junk world in the Outer Rim, the latter mostly thought of as a crystalline backwater. Ryloth was a staunchly Republican world despite its location on the Outer Rim, but many denigrated the twi’lek as exporting mainly spice and slaves. 

The blockading and orbital bombardment of Raxus Prime gave lie to its unimportance though. The Separatists had some objective there - it was neither wealth nor control of strategic hyperspace routes, as Raxus was a trash planet with little power and no tactical importance - but they had reason, and the Jedi would have to discover what that reason was, in case it lead back to the Sith in the shadows. Christophsis was blockaded as well, and while they were resource rich, their most profitable export was kyber. The Jedi couldn’t help but see evidence of Sith treachery there, too. While most Jedi gained their first lightsaber focusing crystals from the ice caves on Ilum, many later built blades of Christophsis or Jedha kyber.

Such an outsized and aggressive response was far beyond what Obi-Wan had anticipated from the Separatists, and he imagined the other Jedi and the Senate had likewise been ill prepared for this outcome. Evidently though, the Separatists, despite having their own senate and governmental bodies, viewed the expulsion of the senators of the corporate sector as an actionable offense. 

Obi-Wan pushed away the fear that flooded his system. The Senate would have to answer attacks on Republic worlds, and it was likely that the Jedi would be drawn into the matter. Despite their best efforts, it was becoming more and more difficult to stay out of the escalating but undeclared war. Once a declaration was made, Obi-Wan feared that the involvement of the Jedi would be all but required by the Senate - and by the Sith orchestrating the war. 

Relief missions were being run to distressed planets on both sides of the line, and the Separatists had agreed that Jedi vessels were theoretically free to pass through blockades without repercussion. Jedi attaining official ranks in the Republican war-machine would sacrifice that, and already suffering worlds would likely starve. Numerous worlds under trade embargo had received Jedi relief already, and depended on those mercy missions to keep their populace from starving or suffering from exposure in the aftermath of battles. 

Jedi Healers and the MedCorps were often some of the first on the scene in the wake of the Separatist armies and navies, and numerous new techniques had already been developed and published in the field of emergency trauma. The scale of the conflict - and the suffering that followed - had already been daunting. But this - three planets under bombardment - it was a whole new scale of war, and it was sickening. 

All three worlds soon applied for Jedi aid, and the offices in charge of running relief missions responded as rapidly as they were able. Mixed teams of Jedi, Antarian Rangers and vode deployed one after the other as planets sent for help. Between assisting in the planning of relief missions and continuing his investigatory work in conjunction with Judicial, Obi-Wan was kept fairly busy. 

He accompanied Mace on short diplomatic missions as well, mostly in the Core, but to more outlying worlds as needed. Often they were simply soothing ruffled feathers and reassuring nervous politicians who were certain the Separatists would soon target them. Other missions were a bit more impactful, ensuring that more outlying worlds felt listened to by the Jedi at least, and sometimes they were accompanied by a Senator, or a member of one of the many diplomatic corps, or even escorts of Antarian Rangers and vode on the most volatile worlds. 

Many worlds that had been teetering on knife’s edge, seriously contemplating going over to the Separatists, had fallen firmly back onto the Republic side of the fence after the attacks on Ryloth, Christophsis and Raxus Prime. That didn’t mean those worlds didn’t still have concerns that needed listening to though. Mace and Obi-Wan were sent to many strategically important worlds, the prestige of a Council Member adding weight to their presence. They were often successful, but not always. Even their unsuccessful missions were instructive though. The galaxy was afraid, and not even the word of a Jedi was enough to assuage that fear.

Despite the setbacks, Obi-Wan pressed on. Defending the Republic had been his mission from boyhood; the fact that there was a Sith in the shadows only made a positive outcome more imperative. The working group felt they were getting closer, but their progress was slow, and they needed to check and re-check every scrap of information. Some things they had already quietly forwarded to Judicial or various planetary security forces, but that did not do much against the Sith at the center of the scheming.

On top of his investigatory work and the mercy missions and mediations, Obi-Wan also had his duties to the High Council. It led to quite the busy schedule, and only the fact that he was partnered with Mace allowed them to see one another regularly. Obi-Wan also made a point of staying in contact with Anakin, and with the rest of their Lineage. All of them were far-flung though, the incipient war taking and taking and taking even though they had limited what the Order was willing to give. 

“Master Kenobi,” Shaak said one day in Council, and Obi-Wan looked over with some trepidation. He could tell already he wasn’t going to like whatever assignment the Master of the Order had for him. 

“I’m not going to like this, am I?” Obi-Wan asked, just to be certain. Shaak smiled slightly. 

“No, probably not,” Shaak admitted. “This falls more under ‘military matters’ than ‘temple security’ though, and as you are one of the few of us who has led troops in battle,” she said with an elegant shrug, and Obi-Wan sighed, then nodded his acquiescence. Shaak let out a heavy sigh of her own. “It seems Jabiim in the Phelleem Sector has been requesting Jedi aid for some time, but the Senate has never deigned to pass on those requests. 

“Nearly ten years ago now they were decimated by brainrot plague. With so many stricken, what little defenses the natives had were overrun by Trandoshan brigands. Once they’d leeched what they could and abandoned Jabiim, Lythian pirates overran the planet. It seems that the Confederacy of Independant Systems has been courting them. We’d like to make a counter-offer, and offer them what aid we can. This dossier was assembled by the sector watchman on Maccent. If you’re willing, you’ll be deployed with the Third Systems Army. They will _not_ be under your command. Nominally, this is a mercy mission with military escort. I know you said you would rather turn in your lightsaber,” Shaak trailed off. 

“I said I would not fight at the Senate’s command,” Obi-Wan said, perfectly willing to argue semantics when he felt the Force urging him to accept this task. “Nominal or not, this _is_ a mercy mission, and you are not asking me to become a General, which is what I opposed. Jabiim has requested Jedi aid, I will not make them ask again. Will I be going alone, or can you spare my partner?” he asked, glancing over at Mace. 

“Your partner, and if there are other volunteers, there are positions to be filled. The details of the army and mission are being transmitted,” Shaak said, tapping at the screen in the arm of her chair. Obi-Wan’s comm vibrated as the files transferred, and he scrolled through quickly, blanching slightly at the sheer number of military personnel encompassed in a Systems Army. 

“You’re anticipating trouble,” Obi-Wan inferred. Shaak nodded.

“In the field, this is your mission. According to the plans left to us, a Jedi High General with a place on the Council would command a Systems Army such as this, with numerous other Jedi Generals under their command,” Shaak said. “With our refusal to act as military leaders, the Cuy’val Dar has fast-tracked the command clones to prepare them to lead the vode as ranking officers, not just support staff. As you are heading the mercy mission, any Jedi volunteering to deploy with you will therefore be under your command.” Obi-Wan nodded, glancing again at Mace. Mace dipped his head. He would be coming, and was happy to defer to his lover.

“I’ll need time to organize before departing, and to speak with the ‘troopers once I reach Kamino,” Obi-Wan warned.

“Understood. You’ll accept the mission?” Shaak asked. 

“I accept the mission,” Obi-Wan agreed. “I’ll put out a call for volunteers within the week.” 

By the time Obi-Wan cleaned up and went to the refectory for supper, it was clear news of his mission had made the rounds. There were plenty of positions that needed filling, and he intended to bring Jedi Healers along, but he also wanted to ensure that the most capable volunteers were the ones who made the trip to Jabiim. Mentally, he began identifying what skills would be needed. 

Any Jedi taking a position on the mission would need to be an excellent duellist, but a talent with the blade did not necessarily make someone qualified for this type of mercy mission. He would also need Jedi who could think on their feet, improvise when needed, obey orders but also know when those orders would actually be detrimental to the mission. Obi-Wan would be doing a lot of interviews in the coming days.

That evening, Obi-Wan read and reread the dossier on the force he would be deploying with. The vod in command was CC-2224, and it took a moment for Obi-Wan to recall why that identification was familiar. Kamino. Cody. Obi-Wan grinned. Cody had been efficient and steady, with a dry humour that appealed to Obi-Wan a great deal. While Obi-Wan couldn’t claim to know him or his brothers well, he promised himself he would learn as much as he could before they deployed, and earn the trust of the vode.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> War is closing in, and Obi-Wan believes more than ever that to fight is to lose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mando'a in end notes.

If Obi-Wan never had another mission like Jabiim, he would die a happy man, he decided once it was over. Despite that it had been a mercy mission, and the Jedi were escorted by the vode, rather than in command of them, the situation on the ground rapidly deteriorated into open warfare. They had to work closely together, and Obi-Wan had seen the most intense - and awful - fighting since he was a child soldier on Melida/Daan, and knew the mind healers back at the Temple would be doing a brisk business in the coming months. As one of the few Jedi to have seen war on a planetary scale, multiple times, he had been among the best prepared among them, but even he had been overwhelmed by some of the horrors on Jabiim.

Any lingering hesitations Obi-Wan might have had about the ‘troopers competence after Kamino were obliterated by their performance on Jabiim. The vode were soldiers without compare, and they seemed to thrive on working with - and protecting - Jedi. Obi-Wan might hate the path that had led to the creation of the vode, but he would fight to the last breath for their rights to lives as free beings. He felt honoured to have the friendship of some of the vode he worked most closely with, mostly command officers, but some of the regulars in the army as well. 

By the time Jabiim was free, a half dozen Jedi and thousands of vode had lost their lives. It was a heavy price to pay. Despite being aware that each of those lives had been given willingly, that knowledge didn’t ease Obi-Wan’s mind in the least. Was this not the very outcome his grandmaster had predicted? To fight in this war was to lose when your enemy was Sith. There was no victory, not until the Sith themselves were defeated. 

“Final casualty report from the vode?” Obi-Wan asked Bacta, the highest ranked of the vode in the Third Systems Army with medical training. Bacta gave a slight grimace, then rattled off the numbers. Too many, too many, Obi-Wan thought. He could feel the tension among the officers as they heard the tabulation as well. These were not only their subordinates, but their family, their siblings and - in some cases - lovers.

“There’s one more thing,” Bacta said, and Obi-Wan could feel the amorphous dread in the medic. Obi-Wan nodded, signalling his willingness to listen. Bacta sighed, scrubbing his hand through his short black hair. “We’re seeing a strong correlation between head injuries and behavioral issues - specifically insubordination, and threats against the Jedi - a few threats were very close to being carried out. While the behavior can be controlled through chain of command - I’d like MedCorps assistance to try and see if there’s causation, not just correlation,” Bacta said. 

Obi-Wan turned to Bant, who had volunteered for the expedition to Jabiim as soon as Obi-Wan told her about it. She’d spent a few rotations on Kamino, and was a vocal advocate for the clone rights as sentient beings. She’d brought an entire MedCorps team with her from Kamino, all of them specialists now in the health and wellbeing of the vode. Bant nodded sharply to Obi-Wan, then turned to Bacta.

“You’ll have it,” Bant assured. “There are quite a few things I’m already planning to rake the longnecks over the coals for, so we might as well make sure we have all the facts for a thorough drubbing.” The vode around the table chuckled softly, always pleased to hear one of their terms in a Jedi mouth. They loved Jedi unreservedly, and the vast majority of the Jedi who had met them couldn’t help but return the emotion whole-heartedly. The other Jedi around the table nodded firmly. All of them had grievances to air with the Kaminoans.

“We ought to repay the loyalty of the vode in equal measure,” Master Plo Koon agreed in his warm, calm manner. He had trained extensively with the pilot and paratrooper corps that helped liberate Jabiim, and was legendary among them already. It was likely he would volunteer to take a rotation or two as the flight instructor at Kamino to spend more time with them. There was already a squadron calling themselves “Plo’s Bros,” to the delight of both Jedi and the other vode.

“It’s been a pleasure working with you,” Obi-Wan said, resting his eyes first on Cody, who was Flag Officer for this expedition, and the highest ranked vod in the the Third Systems Army, then sweeping his gaze over the other officers. “You all performed more than admirably in a thoroughly kriffed situation. The brothers who gave their lives for this world, and to protect Jedi, will not soon be forgotten. Vi Kelir partaylir vode, bid val cuyir darasuum.” 

“Vor entye,” Cody said gruffly, nodding at Obi-Wan, who nodded in turn. The two of them had developed deep and abiding respect for one another over the course of the mission, as heads of their respective groups, and each was proud to call the other man friend. Many of the other officers in the army had befriended Jedi as well, and Obi-Wan knew that Mace had grown close with Ponds, the vod he worked together with the most. It pleased Obi-Wan immensely to see the mutual respect and camaraderie between their peoples.

When the briefing was finished, those of the Jedi who served in any capacity on the High Council remained in the room, the holotable flickering to life as it connected to Coruscant. The warning tones sounded, and then the blue holograms of the members of the Council filled the room, some from Coruscant, others holoing from other locations. Shaak Ti nodded her head regally in acknowledgement as they all appeared. 

“Master Kenobi, you’re first on the docket,” Shaak said, and Obi-Wan nodded, then concisely summed up the end of the mission. They’d been giving the Council progress reports as they were able throughout the campaign, but now that the final numbers had been tallied and the vode had officially requested aid, Obi-Wan presented those matters as head of the Jedi contingent on Jabiim. When he had completed his report, Mace signalled his intention to speak. Shaak nodded her permission.

“Of the six Jedi deaths, three were Masters with surviving Padawans,” Mace said, an unpleasant reminder of the ferocity of the fighting. Obi-Wan knew where his partner was heading in this though, and supported Mace fully. The majority of the Jedi on Jabiim hadn’t had Padawans for just this reason, Obi-Wan’s selection process favouring Masters and Knights who wouldn’t leave anyone behind if they were lost in battle. All of those who did have Padawans were instructed to speak to them frankly about possible outcomes, and all Padawans were Seniors nearing Knighthood. 

“I would like to recommend the eldest of them, Mak Lotor, for the Trials. His Master had already begun to prepare him for Knighthood, and I believe he has shown the maturity necessary to rise a Knight. I had been scheduled to give additional training to Aubrie Wyn, and would like to take her on as my Padawan for the remainder of her training,” Mace said. “While I had not intended to take a Padawan so soon, I had begun thinking about that eventuality, and shepherding Padawan Wyn to her Trials would be my honour.” The Councillors communed silently with one another for a little while before Shaak nodded.

“Granted,” Shaak said simply, then nodded at Master Plo, who had indicated his own desire to speak. 

“I would happily stand as Master for Padawan Nend through the remainder of his apprenticeship,” Plo Koon said amiably. Shaak nodded, and although it was a miniscule shift in posture, they could all see and sense her relief that the orphaned Padawans would be cared for. 

“Speaking of lost Knights,” Shaak said, “unfortunately we have reason to believe that Master Grozliakykam has passed into the Force. She was escorting a training mission of Initiates to Alaris Prime, accompanied by her Padawan, Sai Samuul. All six are missing, and Master Grozliakykam was due back over a tenday ago. Since, we’ve received word of Separatist activity in the Kashyyyk system, and there are rumours of Trandoshans hunting on Kashyyyk itself. Knight Skywalker has requested permission to seek our lost Initiates.” Shaak sent a querying look to Obi-Wan who smiled wryly.

“Since taking to the creche, Knight Skywalker has become rather attached to the younglings,” Obi-Wan said with a certain warmth of approval in his tone. “ _All_ of the younglings. If he is called to seek our lost young, I cannot but wish him good speed in finding them and bringing them home. I am confident in his ability as a Knight, Master Ti. If I was not, I would not have recommended him for his Trials.”

“Very well, I will approve his request,” Shaak said, tipping her head. “He was quite vocal in his insistence, and it is good to know he is so willing to protect our most vulnerable.” Obi-Wan could hear the approval in the Master of the Order’s tones. It was one of the things Obi-Wan admired most in her; while Shaak had been shattered by the loss of her own Padawans, she hadn’t let that harden her heart. She cared deeply about every individual in the Order. It would be very difficult for someone to fall through the cracks under her watch, despite that the Jedi numbered in the tens of thousands.

“If I may?” Obi-Wan asked, and Shaak nodded. “I don’t know how thinly we’re spread, but a partner might not go amiss on such a mission. While I trust in Anakin, he hasn’t had many solo assignments.” The Councillors communed a little longer, and then Shaak scrolled through the assignment rolls. While they were spread thin, they had been trying since Shaak Ti’s promotion to send Knights in pairs, especially the younger and less experienced Knights. 

“Knight Lissarkh will be coming off furlough in the next few days,” Shaak said. “She is well versed in this type of mission, and would be little remarked upon in the Kashyyyk system.” The other Councillors nodded in concurrence, and Obi-Wan nodded his thanks. The business of the Council went on for a little while longer before they disconnected. Mace and Plo headed off to find and officially claim their new Padawans, and give Padawan Lotor the news that he would be trialed for Knighthood when they returned to Coruscant. Obi-Wan retreated to his own quarters aboard the cruiser and entered meditation. 

There was trouble throughout the galaxy, the Separatists pushing at Republic worlds until tensions exploded into confrontation. It wouldn’t be long, or take much, Obi-Wan feared, for true galaxy-wide war to break out. They had gained ground on the political front, their continuing investigations uncovering more and more corruption. In some ways, Obi-Wan was glad Anakin was taking himself off Coruscant; it was looking more and more like the Chancellor who had once championed Anakin was embroiled in the Sith plot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Padawans Lotor, Nend, and Wyn are all canonically part of the Jabiim Padawan Pack. Obviously this Jabiim went differently from canon, so they were orphaned but survived and will make awesome Knights in time. Lissarkh is a canonical Trandoshan Jedi Knight trained by Plo Koon.
> 
> **Mando’a:**  
>  Vi Kelir partaylir vode, bid val cuyir darasuum = We will remember brothers, so they are eternal (this is a best effort translation on my part, and may not gloss properly).  
> Vor entye = thank you (lit. “I accept a debt”)


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little more talk, a little less action, widespread dissatisfaction.

When the Consular cruiser _Reliant IV_ decanted into realspace over Coruscant, the newsbands of the HoloNet spoke of nothing but the disappearance of the Chancellor during a rare visit to his home planet of Naboo. A harried looking spokesperson for the RNSF said that security had been especially high for Palpatine’s visit, and that they’d foiled numerous other assassination and kidnapping attempts, but that one - one had managed to get through their cordon. It was anticipated that the Chancellor would be ransomed to the Confederacy of Independant Systems and eventually forced to surrender, or perhaps simply killed. 

From the encrypted messages that lit up his comm once they were in range of the relays, Obi-Wan anticipated that either the kidnappers included the Jedi Savage Opress, or they were being called upon to plan and perform an extraction. Ignoring the news, Obi-Wan went to a datasuite that could properly decrypt his messages and began reading. In the few days they’d been out of communication in hyperspace, it turned out, Palpatine had been kidnapped, but also recovered. 

The Order was being credited with Palpatine’s retrieval, and the arrest of a cadre of bounty hunters including Moralo Eval and Cad Bane, although Savage’s name wasn’t mentioned - probably for the best in case he needed to use the alias again. All members of the High Council, including the advisory members like Obi-Wan, were being called back to Coruscant at best possible speed. There had been a break in their Sith-hunting investigation. Given the timing, Obi-Wan was more than glad that all his messages from Anakin indicated he was still in the Kashyyyk system looking for the missing training group, because Obi-Wan would bet his last credchip that the tip came from Savage, who had been under cover with the bounty hunters who took Palpatine, and therefore best positioned to overhear crucial information.

The _Reliant IV_ would arrive late local-night at the Temple hangars, and the following day would be filled with their required check-ins with the Council and medical. The Jabiim mission was already slotted for debrief on the Council’s morning schedule when Obi-Wan checked as they queued for atmospheric entry, and other slots had been assigned to Bant as the Healer responsible for the veterans of Jabiim, and Mand’alor Fett. That certainly garnered a raise of the eyebrow. Fett wasn’t shy about his disdain for Jedi in general. For him to be addressing the High Council, it had to be a serious matter.

When the Council finally met, a well disguised agitation welcomed them into the chambers. Rather to Obi-Wan’s surprise, he found every other member of the Sith-hunting team there, even those who didn’t regularly sit on the Council. They were joined by the Mand’alor and Savage Opress, who was looking rather the worse for the wear. Perhaps it was part of his disguise, Obi-Wan hoped. The Nightbrother had been on a perilous mission, but it would make sense for him to alter his appearance somewhat as well. His skin was flushed almost orange beneath his tattoos, and lightning trees bloomed up his neck from below his collar.

“This Council session is under the strictest confidentiality,” Shaak said once she had called them to order. “Matters discussed here may be discussed with no one save those present in the room, and only when you are _absolutely_ certain of secrecy.” She looked around the room, meeting each being’s eyes to impress the severity of the situation. Each of them nodded as they met Master Ti’s serious gaze. 

“Master Kenobi, if you would start us off,” Shaak directed, and Obi-Wan nodded then began his abbreviated wrap up of the Jabiim mission. Bant followed Obi-Wan, focusing on the medical aspects, and on the request from the vode for research assistance. As she spoke, a cloud of anger coalesced around the Mand’alor. “Mand’alor?” Shaak asked, sensing the trouble brewing in that sector. 

“I was told the chips lessened aggression, made the vode more obedient,” Jango grit out. “Less likely to - well, act like me.” His temper after all, was not exactly of the placid variety, although he’d learned over the years to keep his head down a little better. 

“Chips?” Bant asked, and Jango nodded sharply. 

“Bio-organic. There are contingency orders on them,” Jango practically growled. Almost as one, the Jedi attention swung to Dooku. 

“Yes, I knew about the chips, but that is the reasoning I was given as well. I don’t know anything about their programming or functioning,” Dooku said. He turned to Bant. 

“I hadn’t been able to recover one intact enough to say for certain it actually _is_ a chip. They decay rapidly in the deceased, and I didn’t want to perform brain surgery unless it was a last resort,” Bant said, her eyes wide with dismay.

“I think we have to view this as a last resort,” Shaak said, her tone heavy with regret. “The Sith have introduced a variable of which we have little to no knowledge. Our ignorance may be our undoing if we allow it to continue.” The others nodded their agreement. 

“I will ask for volunteers,” Bant said firmly, and they knew she would not be swayed from that position. Shaak nodded her acceptance, and Bant picked her report back up where she had left off. 

“Thank you Healer Eerin. Mand’alor, you wished to address us?” Shaak said. Jango nodded, then stood, hands clasped tight behind his back. 

“There’s trouble in Mandalore. Maybe not on Manda’yaim just yet, but I’ve been tracking the remnants of Death Watch for years. They - or someone using their name - have starting to make some noise on Concordia. I’m no fan of the Duchess. But she’d at least leave us be. Death Watch - that’s bad news. This is me, as Mand’alor telling you, as an Order: when this breaks open I don’t want any Jedi in the Mandalore sector. I don’t want any Republic presence at all. A single cruiser would be all the provocation Death Watch needs to do something catastrophically stupid. 

“I know some of you have ties to Mandalore,” Fett continued, and looked directly at Obi-Wan. “I know you would rally to me as Mand’alor. This is me telling you explicitly: don’t. Even if you come as Mando’ade, you will be seen as a Jedi and an interloper. Let us handle Death Watch internally. Then - then if all goes well we may send for a neutral party to negotiate terms.” 

“Elek, ner Mand’alor,” Obi-Wan said, dipping his head, and Fett’s mouth twitched slightly. 

“We’ll keep a leash on him,” Shaak promised drily, and Obi-Wan gaped at her as the others chortled. 

“Rude,” Obi-Wan muttered not quite under his breath, and Shaak rolled her eyes good naturedly. 

“On that note,” Shaak murmured, scrolling to the next item on the agenda, then fixing her eyes on Savage Opress.

“The Chancellor is the Sith Lord,” the Nightbrother said bluntly, sending a shockwave through the gathered Jedi save Shaak, who had already been told and had time to begin processing. One by one, they looked to Dooku. 

“That is who I suspected,” Dooku confirmed. “But I had no proof. And to my knowledge, being a Sith Lord isn’t technically an arrestable offense.”

“Treason is,” Savage said firmly. 

“Do you have evidence?” Shaak asked, and Savage deflated, shaking his head. 

“Only what I heard. I could confidently testify that he had arranged his own kidnapping by the Fallen we captured, but unless the Shadows find something in their belongings to corroborate, no, I have no physical proof,” Savage said.

“Who was captured?” Plo Koon asked. He had been on the Jabiim mission, and like the rest of them who had just returned, was still catching up. 

“Sora Bulq and Tol Skorr,” Shaak said, and Mace flinched back as if struck. Obi-Wan sent comfort through their bond; Bulq was a good friend of Mace’s, or had been. He had disappeared, and been placed on the missing list not long after Obi-Wan brought Dooku back to the Temple. Master Skorr had disappeared months later. To have exposed them as complicit with the enemy was rather troubling. “Master Dooku,” Shaak asked, and Dooku shook his head. 

“We never crossed paths,” Dooku said. “I will gladly speak to them, but without knowing what lured them from the Light, I may not be able to draw them back to it.”

“That is all I can ask,” Shaak said gently. “Master Tholme, if you would also speak to them?” Tholme nodded. He was an experienced Shadow, treading closer to the Dark than most Jedi dared. “Working group?” she asked next. 

“We will concentrate our efforts on linking Palpatine to the war,” Master Sinube promised firmly, the others all nodding their accord. Shaak nodded her head in turn. They had evidence of corruption, but they would have to work harder and faster to find something that would merit removing the Chancellor from power. All knew without it being said that the Sith would fight to the death to prevent exposition as the mastermind behind the unpopular war. They would need solid evidence to avoid reprisals, and even then there would likely be repercussions.

“Our next order of business for this morning, we have information that we believe is the coordinates for a base used by the Separatist General Grievous. This is _not_ a hunt for anything other than information right now. Master Fisto?” Shaak asked, looking to the Nautolan Master.

“I am willing,” Kit said, dipping his head, his oft-smiling face unusually solemn. 

“I would suggest you bring a partner, perhaps some of the vode as well,” Shaak said. “The information we have is very sparse.”

“If Knight Vebb is willing, I believe I am most familiar with his style still,” Kit said thoughtfully, naming his recently Knighted Padawan. A naturally gregarious being, Kit had been parted from Nahdar Vebb only a few years, and hadn’t taken another Padawan or a permanent mission partner in that time. Shaak nodded. 

“I will send for him to be briefed this afternoon in the smaller session,” Shaak said. “As noted, your main goal is intelligence gathering. If you can leave something behind so we can listen in, even better.” Kit nodded his understanding. “Right. Last, the most recent vote for a new Grand Master returned no supermajority, we’ll ballot again shortly. Any one else have business?” They shook their heads, mostly still processing the identity of the Sith Lord. The Chancellor. Obi-Wan was well prepared to think poorly of the man, but he hadn’t suspected - and he really should have, Obi-Wan realized. 

The Chancellor was one of the common points connecting the episodes where Darkness had tried to grasp hold of Anakin. Not good, Obi-Wan thought with a grimace. He would have to make sure he was the one who told Anakin the fullness of the matter when Anakin returned to the Temple. Hopefully before Palpatine was confronted, Anakin still had trouble with feeling things had been kept from him. He shook that thought free as well. He had an appointment in medical before mid-meal, and one with his mind healer after that. His presence hadn’t been requested for the small session later in the day, so he planned to settle himself back into the Temple routine as much as he could. 

That afternoon, Obi-Wan sparred with Savage Opress. He had a moment of unreasoning panic when the big Dathomiri first ignited both ends of his acid-green bladed lightstaff, but he pushed through. Although Savage mostly used Shii-Cho, he was a skilled fighter due to both natural inclination and necessity. Once Obi-Wan managed to control the remnants of his fear, they had a good spar.

“You feared me,” Savage noted as they washed up and dressed. 

“Your brother used a very similar weapon,” Obi-Wan said quietly, nodding at the long hilt clipped at Savage’s belt. He paused, considering. “There are - I do not know if it would hurt you or help, but there are security recordings of our fight available in the archive. He fought very differently than you do, but - there are similarities too.” Savage nodded.

“I will meditate on the matter,” Savage declared. “It pleases me to see you, and to measure my skill against yours.” Obi-Wan flushed slightly.

“And it pleases me to see how much you’ve progressed,” Obi-Wan said gently. Savage smiled proudly at that; his advancement invalidated every time a Nightsister had insisted that he and his kin were stupid, were lazy, were only good for fucking. He was more than a set of admirable muscles. He was a Jedi, and he intended to see Light shone into every shadowy corner of the galaxy, as Obi-Wan and Anakin had brought Light to Dathomir.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so uh - we're on the downward slope here folks. you'll notice i've updated the numbering to reflect the predicted number of chapters. thanks for sticking with me, and I hope you enjoy the ride to the end.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin returns to the Temple.

Anakin couldn’t help but savour the feeling of shock that echoed through the Force when he and Knight Lissarkh disembarked in the hangar with three of the four missing Initiates, and Sai Samuul trailing at Anakin’s elbow in the traditional place of a Padawan. Sai had reached her full height already, and her elegant head reached just above Anakin’s elbow, her long furry ears a few centimetres beyond that. 

A Bimm of the furred variety, Sai had a long narrow muzzle and large dark eyes fringed with long lashes. Her fur was a russet brown over most of her being, with paler colouration on the underside of her jaw, inner ears, throat, and down her front, and darker pointing on the backs of her ears and top of her nose. She wore rather tattered beige robes, and no shoes or boots over her cloven hooves, but instead sturdy synth-hide gaiters around her lower legs. A silka bead Padawan braid was looped around her left ear. 

It had been a difficult mission, and Anakin didn’t begrudge the Jedi for not expecting such a positive outcome. Master Grozliakykam had been an experienced Master training her second Padawan. Sai might not be as proficient a duellist as some, more focused on healing, but she was no one to be trifled with either. That Trandoshan hunters had killed Master Grozliakykam and taken Sai and the Initiates captive had shown just how dangerous those hunters were. While Anakin had worked together with Lissarkh to find the missing Initiates and Sai, he wasn’t surprised that others had feared the worst for the missing. 

At first, Anakin had feared for their lives as well. It didn’t help that it was his first off-planet solo mission. Lissarkh had been incredibly helpful when they first met up though; the rare Force-sensitive Trandoshan, she was despised by her own people and an anomaly in the Temple. Her instincts were the same as any other Trandoshan, and her Master, Plo Koon rose exponentially in Anakin’s estimation when Anakin learned how Lissarkh had been trained to take advantage of her natural abilities, rather than suppressing them. She would by her very nature be more susceptible to certain temptations than many. 

On this particular mission, Lissarkh’s instincts were not only beneficial, but practically a necessity. Her additional training as a Jedi only made her more skilled as a hunter, and even her race was a benefit. She had gone undercover on Trandosha while Anakin followed Master Grozliakykam’s trail from where she was last seen, and no one had suspected her of being a Jedi, most not realizing Trandoshans _could_ be Force sensitive. They had met up again on the Trandoshan moon of Wasskah, where Lissarkh ferried Anakin and his charges to safety. Anakin had found Padawan Samuul and Initiates Kalifa Dolros, O-Mer Nalto, and Jinx Solvana in the thick jungles of the forest moon; a fourth Initiate, Eldo Phrog, had already been killed by the time Anakin arrived. 

It had taken them nearly a week of guerilla fighting before they got the Padawan and Initiates off Wasskah, and Anakin made sure to burn the trophy hall of the Trandoshans before they left, cremating the pelts and limbs and heads that had been kept by the Trandoshans, including those of Master Grozliakykam and Initiate Phrog. He’d documented everything before putting the trophy hall to the torch, and with Lissarkh’s information gained while undercover, they had secured the arrests of a number of the Trandoshans who were ‘hunting’ sentients. Lissarkh had been utterly disgusted with her people, and Anakin never more sure of his decision to focus on the creche. While he was pleased with the success of the mission, that was more due to having found so many of the missing. He would have gladly done without the fighting or days of living off forage.

Despite the conditions, or perhaps because of them, Anakin had bonded tightly with Sai and the Initiates. Even so, he was waiting until he reported to the Council before officially requesting he finish Sai’s training. She was an intelligent and able Padawan, and her calm, easy going personality complemented Anakin’s more brash and gregarious attitude. 

Anakin wanted to ensure Sai had the chance to rise a Knight, and she was already more than halfway there due to her training with Master Grozliakykam. Someone else would probably be more than happy to take her if the Council refused Anakin’s petition, but Anakin thought they had worked well together under rather stressing conditions. They had formed a solid foundation of trust already. He hadn’t really thought about taking a Padawan, that was something for the future - the distant future. 

Lack of forethought on the matter though, seemed utterly inconsequential when faced with the idea of someone else training Sai. Just the thought of teaching Sai all he knew had all sorts of wild plans spinning through Anakin’s head. She was on a Healer track, and while Anakin didn’t have a lot of experience there, he knew the basics and had been intending to learn more once he was a little more settled in the creche. Ha. Obi-Wan had quite a few sayings about plans that would be apt about now, not that Anakin minded. He’d never been much for planning anyway. 

The main difficulty would be ensuring that Sai got as many off-world missions as she needed to gain the necessary experience to become a Knight. With tensions rising - and occasionally spilling over into open conflict - throughout the Republic, she would need to be able to think on her feet and make the best of any situation. She had parts of that already, and had likely picked up more on the disastrous training mission. For sure she’d be a candidate for a long series of sessions with the mind healers, since she’d witnessed her Master’s death. 

As they progressed into the Temple proper, Knights and Masters paused in their paths and nodded at the returning group in greeting and congratulations. Anakin could feel their quiet joy at the safe return of so many thought lost suffusing the Force around them. The Initiates, tired and heart-sore over the loss of their friend, straightened up slightly, raising their heads for the first time since leaving Wasskah. Eventually they reached the Halls of Healing, and the Healers and their Padawans fluttered about, scanning them and asking questions. 

All told, Sai was the worst off of the lot, having prioritized caring for the Initiates over caring for herself, and also suffering from the shock of having her training bond sundered by death. All of them were scheduled to visit the mind healers the following day, and by the time the Healers discharged them, one of the clones who worked Temple security was there to escort them up to the Council chambers. 

Anakin greeted the vod amiably. While he didn’t know all of their names, he occasionally practiced hand to hand with vode in the gymnasium, and some vode had taken to spending some of their spare time in the creche, fascinated by all the younglings and how the Jedi raised them. Anakin thought it was frankly adorable, and he knew that the vode stationed on Coruscant sent messages back to Kamino; according to scuttlebutt, some of them were beginning to agitate to enlist in the various Jedi Service Corps, not wanting to wait for a military deployment to get off Kamino, despite that more and more of them were seeing active service in various hotspots throughout the galaxy.

The Council chamber doors swept open after the two guards exchanged passcodes, and Anakin, Lissarkh, Sai, Kalifa, O-Mer, and Jinx were admitted into the sun drenched room. Obi-Wan sat in the outer row of the circle, next to Battlemaster Drallig and at Mace’s shoulder. Anakin and Lissarkh bowed politely to Master Ti, the others copying him a moment later, and not quite as smoothly. 

“The Order is pleased to welcome all of you home, and mourns with you for Master Grozliakykam and Initiate Eldo Phrog,” Master Ti said in her cool but gentle and sincere manner. She settled her eyes on Sai. “Padawan Samuul, if you would begin?” Sai nodded, large leaf-shaped ears swivelling as she swallowed nervously. While she had certainly reported to the Council before, she had likely never done so without her Master acting as a sheltering bulwark. 

Slowly, haltingly, Sai began her tale. The journey had begun as planned, the six of them disembarking on the forest moon of Alaris Prime without incident and making contact with the Wookiee population there. They had spent a few days learning woodcraft from the Wookiees, and planning their expedition, then set off into the wroshyr forests. They had soon lost contact with the Wookiee colonists, but Master Grozliakykam hadn’t seemed perturbed by that development. 

The Trandoshans had come in the night, taking them almost before they realized they were under attack. Master Grozliakykam had given her life trying to protect her Padawan and the Initiates, although Sai wasn’t sure if her Master was alive or dead when they were dragged onto the Trandoshan’s craft. They’d been gassed in transit to keep them compliant, and Sai hadn’t seen her Master alive again. 

Sai and the four Initiates had stuck together when they woke on an unfamiliar world, and hadn’t understood they were prey for hunters until Initiate Phrog had been killed. The remaining four Jedi had stuck even closer together after that, despite their fears that it make them easier to find. They survived for nearly a week longer before Anakin found them, and another week with him leading them, fighting their way through the jungles to Lissarkh and safety. 

Lissarkh told her portion of the tale next, how she and Anakin had determined the allocation of their duties, and she had assumed a false identity to learn all she could about the hunters. Much of the minutiae she had uncovered would go into her written report, and all had been sent to Judicial so that the perpetrators could be arrested for trafficking and murder. Finally Anakin had signalled her, and she came in guns blazing to liberate Anakin and the Younglings. Anakin filled in his portions of the report last, mostly corroborating Lissarkh and Sai’s stories. 

“All of you are to be commended,” Master Ti said with a small but slightly sad smile. 

“You have done yourselves and the Jedi Order proud,” Master Koon agreed. Anakin shifted his weight, then flushed as Master Ti twitched her lekku in encouragement. 

“Masters, I would like to petition for the honour of seeing Padawan Sai Samuul through to Knighthood,” Anakin blurted out. “She has done well by the teachings of Master Grozliakykam, and I feel we have built a foundation of trust despite the awful circumstances that brought us together. I know this would mean shifting my duties from the creche to ensure she has the experience necessary, but I believe the Force leads us to this partnership.”

“Padawan Samuul, would you agree to train under the tutelage of Knight Anakin Skywalker?” Shaak asked gently. Sai blinked, then looked up at Anakin, then blinked again, jaw shifting in a nervous chewing motion. 

“I would be honoured,” Sai said, “I am confident Knight Skywalker will teach me well. I have already learned much from him.” 

“Very well,” Master Ti said with a smile. “I congratulate you both.” Anakin flushed, gently resting his hand on Sai’s narrow shoulder. She looked up at him, eyes wide, but the Force echoing both surprise and pleasure.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lineage gathering before the poodoo hits the oscillator.

Anakin was utterly unsurprised when, once he and Sai had been assigned new quarters and settled in, there was a message from Obi-Wan on the datasuite asking if they’d like to have a dinner, all of them together. Anakin knew from the Council meeting that Jan, Xanatos, and Asajj were off planet at the moment, presumably at Kamino. Still, Mace and at least some of his lineage would be there, possibly plus Sar, and Bruck and Ahsoka would be there too, and Yoda. Besides, Sai would have to get used to them sooner or later, better handle all the shocks up front. 

“Master Obi-Wan will feed us tonight, is there anything you can’t eat?” Anakin called, beginning to type his response. 

“Obligate vegan,” Sai called back from her room, where she had asked the housekeeping droids to remove the standard bed frame and instead laid the mattress on the floor and piled it with pillows and blankets. Anakin cocked his head thoughtfully, casting his mind back. She _had_ only eaten foraged plant matter when they were on Wasskah. He had thought it self-sacrifice for the sake of the younglings at the time. Assumptions, Anakin chided himself. He did tend to do that. “Although sometimes I eat bugs.”

“I’ll let him know,” Anakin called back, smiling, and worked that into his message - minus the bit about bugs, although he’d have to ask about her favorites in front of Obi-Wan, who always tried (and spectacularly failed) not to look utterly disgusted at the idea of eating insects. He’d have to ensure there was a good variety of things she could eat in the apartment as well. As an omnivore, and one who would try just about anything, Anakin knew he wasn’t always the most considerate of those with more narrow diets. He grimaced again. “How do you get along with obligate carnivores?” 

“I got along fine with Knight Lissarkh,” Sai reminded, coming back into the main room. She had washed up already and her fur gleamed in the sunlight that filtered through to their quarters. 

“Ah,” Anakin said, blushing. He knew that. “My - uh - not sure exactly what to call her, but there’s another Padawan close to you in age who will probably be at late-meal with us, Togruta.”

“I will be fine, although it is kind of you to ask. Just because my people evolved from prey animals, doesn’t mean we still are,” Sai reminded Anakin, baring her long teeth. They were the strong flat incisors of an herbivore to be sure, but Anakin didn’t doubt she could take off someone’s finger if she was properly motivated. Anakin nodded with a smile. 

“You’ll have to be patient with me, this time last year I was still a Padawan myself,” Anakin said, and Sai nodded, her presence tinged with amusement. “And ah - you know - that whole Fallen thing.” Sai shrugged slightly. 

“You’re still seeing your mind healer?” Sai asked, and Anakin nodded. “And you regret your actions while Fallen?” she asked, a mixture of gentle and scolding.

Anakin flushed, nodding. He’d never, he knew, _not_ regret what he’d done after his mother’s death, and the more he talked to Anu, the more disgusted he was with not only himself, but those who told him that such a reaction was normal, human. Obi-Wan had known loss, had watched his Master murdered in front of him and not gone on a rampage. He’d slain Maul yes, and while Anakin had never asked him about that, he doubted Obi-Wan had killed the Sith out of vengeance or rage. 

“As long as you keep working at making sure that doesn’t happen again, I trust you,” Sai said, and then bared her teeth again. “And if you misbehave I’ll eat all your robes. Hemp fiber is tasty.” Anakin barked out a surprised laugh at that, but nodded. So his new Padawan was a genuine weirdo. She’d fit right in. 

A few hours later, Sai proved right Anakin’s guess about her fitting in with the rest of the Lineage. It turned out she already knew Ahsoka, despite being a couple years older. Ahsoka had always been an overachiever though, and they had a friend in common in Barriss Offee, who like Sai was in the Healing track. Barriss and her Master, Luminara Unduli were currently out of the Temple, Barriss gaining experience in treating the vode at the Kaliida Shoals Medical Center. 

Ahsoka missed Barriss a great deal, and was happy to gush at Sai about how wonderful Barriss was, how wonderful her friend Senator Chuchi of Pantora was, how wonderful Senator Amidala of Naboo and her ‘handmaidens’ were. The last set Bruck to blushing too, and the rest of them to teasing him about his ongoing affair with the Senator. Bruck took the joking in good humour though, and was happy to sing the Senator’s praises. Affair, after all, wasn’t really the right word for their relationship. A drawn out courtship perhaps, each of them understanding that the other would put their duties first, Bruck’s to the Jedi and Amidala’s to the people of Naboo. While Amidala’s obligation was not life-long, she seemed to understand that Bruck’s just might be.

In that vein, it seemed Amidala had been working hard to have the vode recognized as a sentient people with the full protection of the Republic, and had also been focusing her remaining energies on relief efforts. Prior to entering public life, she had done a great deal of work with Naboo’s Refugee Relief Movement, and had extensive experience in the area. From his own work in the Temple refuge, Anakin was well aware that Naboo was one of a relatively small number of Republic worlds willing to take in refugees no matter their place of origin, and provide aid to those unable to relocate. It spoke well of her own acceptance of Jedi-like service without anticipation of reward.

Although he wanted her to know all of them eventually, Anakin was glad Sai was only meeting part of the Lineage at first. Dooku was intimidating without half trying, and that was even without taking into consideration that the Serennoan had not only Fallen but truly become one of the Sith for a time. Repeated exposure had helped Anakin realize that Dooku’s aloof reticence hid a biting wit and a deep desire to be accepted. Xanatos, who could be just as intimidating when he felt the need, was cut from similar cloth. Asajj - Asajj would likely just tease Anakin mercilessly, as was her wont, so it was perhaps to the best that she too was absent. Anakin wanted his Padawan to retain at least a little respect for him after all. 

Despite Anakin’s worries, Sai lost her own shyness after a little while, her and Ahsoka happily picking the things they liked from the common platter, Ahsoka taking all the protein, Sai the fruits and vegetables, and a few chunks of protein that were clearly processed soya. Sai found common ground with Obi-Wan through the discussion of Soresu tactics, it being her preferred form, and with Mace talking about charismatic megafauna, an interest Anakin hadn’t even fully realized Mace _had_. But Sai mentioned the packs of gundarks on Alaris Prime, and off they went discussing the habits and behaviors of the beasts, Sai proving once again that ‘herbivore’ was not always synonymous with ‘prey’. 

Anakin ceded inclusion in that conversation and went to sit with Stam and Echuu. Mace’s new Padawan, Aubrie Wyn was also sitting with them, listening more than she spoke. Like Sai, Aubrie had been orphaned recently, but she had also spent a few more years with her first Master, and seemed to be having a bit more trouble adjusting. She was fairly close in age to Stam though, and already knew his sister Naat. Anakin didn’t impinge on her mourning; each, he was learning, dealt with grief and loss in their own way.

Eventually conversation turned, as ever, to the widespread conflicts the Senate were refusing to acknowledge as an actual war. Obi-Wan, Mace, and Yoda could only tell them so much, but they could tell Ahsoka a bit more about Barriss’ mission at Kaliida Shoals assisting with the surgeries to remove the bio-chips from the vode, and the latest information about the cyborg General Grievous, who led the Separatist military. Master Fisto and Knight Vebb had discovered a great deal on their mission to one of Grievous lairs on a moon of Vassek. Using that information, they were travelling widely and planting surveillance devices in his redoubts and fortresses while Grievous was out to learn even more. 

“The vode in the Temple?” Anakin asked after a while, and Obi-Wan smiled at him. 

“All de-chipped and given the option of discharge with the promise of job training in one of the Service Corps if that is their preference,” Obi-Wan promised. “A few have taken us up on it, but not many,” he said with a shrug. “With so much of their early education focused on fighting, many of the vode desire only to serve in that mould.” Anakin nodded, having come across that attitude himself. It was prevalent in the Temple guard, and he had the idea that the vode who had actually seen combat duty were those most likely to find alternate duties when given the option. Those who hadn’t yet seen combat didn’t know the true horrors of war.

A few weeks later, Anakin and Sai received their first assignment; they would be joining the Jedi already at Kaliida Shoals. Anakin had a feeling his former Master had a hand in the division of duties; Sai would be able to learn different aspects of healing, but there was also a contingent of Knight Pilots and flight trained vode in residence to provide security, including Master Plo Koon and his wing of fighters, the Wolfpack. Anakin wouldn’t argue though; Sai needed the experience, and Anakin got along well with Plo and the Knight Pilots. It would be nice to fly a bit, he thought, he missed it, although not enough to give up his position in the creche. 

It turned out Obi-Wan would have a mission too; they had received a solid lead on the whereabouts of General Grievous. Obi-Wan, Mace, and Mace’s Padawan Aubrie Wyn would be heading out to confront the cyborg General on the contested world of Utapau. They would be met there by Kit Fisto and Nahdar Vebb. Anakin packed somewhat distractedly, the Force shifting at the edge of his grasp. A chime at the door, and when he waved it open, Obi-Wan stepped in and activated Anakin’s holoviewer. 

“And in breaking news, Articles of Impeachment have been filed against Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, former Senator of Naboo, with charges of Treason, Collusion with the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Abuse of Authority, Sentient Trafficking, Bribery, Blackmail, and Murder,” a Rodian reporter recited on the holonews, and Anakin felt his eyes widen in amazement. While it had been months - well over a year really - since he had seen the man in person, he had once thought of Sheev Palpatine as a trusted mentor. Distantly he could Obi-Wan fussing with the kettle and cup.

“The charges were leveled by Onaconda Farr, Senator of Rodia, backed by the powerful Loyalist Committee and the Delegation of Two-thousand. From what our sources have heard, many of the charges result from a long term Jedi investigation linking the Chancellor to the corporate guilds funding the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and opening up the possibility that he came to power as the result of an invasion of his homeworld that he himself helped to orchestrate,” the reporter went on. Anakin turned, looking over at Obi-Wan, who merely raised an eyebrow as he sipped his tea. 

“You sneaky little shit,” Anakin said admiringly. “Is that why you invited yourself over?” he asked carefully. “Because you thought - you thought I might go off half cocked?”

“They were supposed to wait until I had explained it and given you time to process - time until we were both out of the Temple to act on this. He’s a - _the_ Sith Lord Anakin,” Obi-Wan said gently, and the pieces tumbled into place in Anakin’s mind. All the times he’d ‘run into’ the Chancellor and had a brief chat, or what seemed like a brief chat at first, but ended in him questioning his place in his mentor’s life, in the Jedi Order, in the universe itself. 

“He - he was - “ Anakin stuttered out.

“He was grooming you,” Obi-Wan said through clenched teeth, his anger sharp and hard at the very idea of his once Padawan being manipulated. Anakin let out a deep, shuddering breath. While he knew the term, he hadn’t thought to associate it with his own behavior patterns, his own descent into the Dark. But with the knowledge he was fitting together in his head the insidious - in _sidious_ \- words of Palpatine echoing distantly in his memories, he could see the little tweaks, the guiding language, the purposeful goading of his anger and jealousy, the ignorance with which he had been encouraged to blind himself.

“He was,” Anakin admitted heavily, and reached out for Obi-Wan in the Force. That familiar warmth and Light opened to him almost by instinct. “Force,” Anakin breathed unsteadily. “Force, Obi-Wan.”

“Hush dear one,” Obi-Wan murmured, rising to go to Anakin and embrace him physically as well as mentally. “I will not let him have you. You are your own man now, a Knight and a Jedi I am proud to have had a hand in raising.” Anakin held on tight, clinging to Obi-Wan and shuddering as he guided his rampaging emotions into the Force. “Some of the others are already headed to arrest him. Finish packing and get on your transport. Your Padawan is waiting on you.” Anakin nodded, dazedly complying for a few moments before collecting himself and pushing through, focusing on his upcoming mission. Obi-Wan smiled, and clapped him on the shoulder, a warm feeling of pride surging between them.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An action packed ending :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first and foremost, thank you all so much for reading and commenting and leaving kudos. i'm so glad you've enjoyed this story. this is, as you see, the end. there is a vague possibility of snippits that take place in the same universe if i feel so inspired, but the main plot arc concludes with this.

Mace swore and spun out of reach of Grievous’ attack. He, Obi-Wan, Kit and Knight Vebb ought to be more than a match for a Force-blind cyborg, but the General was uncannily fast, and with four lightsabers at his disposal, Grievous could shield his vulnerable organs almost faultlessly. Mace’s chosen form of Vaapad was proving to be of little use in this scenario; Grievous could likely outlast him. Kit’s favoured Shii-cho didn’t seem to be helping either. Vebb’s mixture of Shien and Djem So seemed to be working well enough though, and Obi-Wan’s Soresu served him well. 

Vebb was the first of them to fall despite his skill, his aggression and impatience leading him to attack when he ought defend, opening him to a vicious slash from one of Grievous’ blades. Kit’s vocal denial was instant, although he forced himself to acceptance and peace within the next few breaths. Anger simmered beneath Kit’s skin, but he contained it, diffused it into a desire for righteous justice. He blocked and parried, and Obi-Wan managed to sever one of Grievous’ hands, Force-pulling the lightsaber that had been in the cyborg’s grasp free. Kit grinned almost ferally at that, seeing Obi-Wan activate the blade and shift his form slightly to allow for use of a second saber. 

While not superb at jar’kai, Kit was proficient enough. He did not think Nahdar would mind. Kit ducked under a sweeping slash and rolled, grimacing as Grievous’ blade singed the skin of his head-tails. He regained his feet with Nahdar’s blade in his off hand, and shifted from Shii-cho to the jar’kai variant of Niman. Grievous had three blades. The remaining Jedi had five between the three of them, and the grace of the Force. Nahdar’s ‘saber sang in Kit’s hand, his once Padawan’s presence still echoing in the crystal matrix, and with Kit and Obi-Wan defending and keeping much of Grievous’ attention, Mace could abandon any semblance of defensive maneuvering and throw himself into an all out attack. 

They did not come through the battle unscathed. Mace lost a hand, sacrificing the limb to bury his ‘saber in Grievous’ undersized heart. Obi-Wan took deep wounds to arm and leg, flesh seared nearly to the bone, and Kit lost a handful of head-tails, others badly singed. Nahdar gave his life. He was far from the first Jedi to die on Grievous’ blades, but he _was_ the last. Grievous’ rasping breaths stuttered and ceased, and Kit deactivated his ‘saber and Nahdar’s, crouching sadly over his lost Padawan. Mace laid his hand on Kit’s shoulder, offering silent comfort. Kit leaned into his friend’s strength, breathing deep and exhaling loss.

Skidding feet heralded the arrival of Mace’s Padawan, Aubrie Wyn, who had been given strict orders to remain with their ship. She let out a shuddering sigh of relief, and Mace couldn’t help but smile at her, despite her clear disobedience. Aubrie had reason after all, to fear for the life of her Master, having lost one already.

* * *

The alarms screamed as the _Venator_ -class Star Destroyer bearing Anakin Skywalker, his Padawan Sai Samuul, and the 501st Legion decanted into real-space near the Kaliida Shoals Medical Station. Immediately the automated call to battlestations started looping over the loudspeakers, and Anakin grimaced, racing to the bridge. Technically, he and Sai were only passengers on route to the medcenter. Realistically though, Anakin was pretty sure he could outfly anything the Seppies threw at them, and he intended to protect his Padawan and the vode. The majority of the ‘troopers aboard their vessel were walking wounded on their way to treatment; if the ship were boarded, it might turn into a massacre.

“What the - what _is_ that thing?” Anakin breathed, taking a long look at the massive CIS ship that was leading the Separatist fleet. 

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” admitted the Republic Naval officer in charge, Admiral Wulff Yularen. “So far it seems like the resident wing is giving the Separatists a good fight, but I don’t like their chances. We need to get our birds in the air.”

“What’s the fighter contingent aboard?” Anakin asked, and Yularen gave him an almost-smirk. 

“We have three squadrons of TL-B Y-wing starfighters, 192 V-19 Torrent starfighters, and a Delta 7B light intercepter for every Jedi aboard,” Yularen said a touch proudly. Anakin let out a low whistle. He hadn’t realized the hangars were so extensive, although the variable airfoils on the V-19 allowed them to fold-up fairly compactly when not in use. 

“And in the air already?” Anakin asked. 

“Master Koon and his squadron of Advanced Recon fighters are harassing the enemy,” Yularen said with a touch of admiration. Anakin nodded. If there were any Jedi he trusted in the air more than Obi-Wan, it was likely Plo Koon. The Kel Dor was an excellent pilot, and had the rabid loyalty of the vode he flew with. They would take losses, but Anakin refused to lose today.

“Let Master Plo know we’re joining the fight, the Jedi starfighters will follow his command,” Anakin instructed, then tapped his comm as he turned to race for the hangars. By the time he arrived, Sai was there already, a hands-free comm looped around her ear. “Listen to the air boss until we’re free of the destroyer group, then they’ll hand us over to Master Plo,” Anakin informed her, vaulting up onto one of the aethersprites. He secured his own comms and linked in, then began rapidly running his pre-flight as the astromech settled into its port.

* * *

“You are under arrest Chancellor, for treason against the Republic,” Jan Dooku said firmly. “By the power vested in the Jedi Order by Senatorial Act to Reclaim the Republic.”

“I am the Senate,” Palpatine hissed without turning from the window. His fists clenched at his side, tiny flashes of lightning sparking around his hands.

“I shall not suffer a Sith to live,” Dooku said, his low voice reverberating slightly in the stillness. He spoke with all the righteousness of a convert, his deep blue blade hissing to life. A moment later a wave of humming sounded as ‘saber after ‘saber ignited at his sides. His entire lineage save Obi-Wan, Anakin, and the younger Padawans stood with him along with some of their closest and most trusted, their blades a rainbow of light in nearly every hue save red. 

“Tyranus,” Sidious sneered, using the hated Sith name as he turned, taking in the band of Jedi facing him. He knew most; Dooku, du Crion, Chun, Ventress, Secura, even Yoda had come despite being all but retired. A massive Dathomiri Zabrak stood with them too, a brilliant green lightstaff in hand. He looked very much like Maul, but taller, more muscular, and with vibrant yellow-green skin beneath his markings instead of red. It took Sidious a moment, and then he recognized the instrument of his destruction - Savage, the bounty hunter, and likely the one who had relayed to the Jedi High Council Sidious’ true identity. “I should have known you would betray me.”

“You say that as though betrayal were not the way of the Sith,” Dooku said mildly. “Now fight or die. Well - either way, you will die.” Palpatine hissed again, and then he was moving, a miniscule dynamo. He’d cut the legs out from under Bruck before any of them realized the Chancellor had moved. The Sith-red ‘saber in Palpatine’s hands cast ominous shadows as he darted among them. 

The Jedi had been practicing together in anticipation of this fight though, ever since Savage had named the Sith Lord to them weeks previous. Although Bruck’s injury disrupted their synchronicity, he dragged himself from the melee and reached for the Force, first staving off imminent shock and potential death, then funnelling what strength he could into the others. Every one of them there that day was prepared to give their life to destroy the Sith; Bruck thought his legs a worthwhile sacrifice in the balance of things.

None could say later which ‘saber struck the finishing blow. Sidious had time to gasp in shock, and then he was dead, and then he was an emanation in the Force, a pressure wave that tossed the still standing Jedi back against the walls of the office. By that time, only a few of them had been left upright, and although there were no deaths, neither was Bruck the only casualty. 

Aayla had taken a searing hit across the back, and would need bacta immersion and likely a number of surgeries before she would be able to walk again, and her lekku had been severed to half their previous length with the same slash. Asajj was crumpled in a corner, unconscious and twitching, her ashen skin laced with livid purple lightning trees. Both of Dooku’s hands had been taken at the wrist, one of Xanatos’ amputated further up the arm, nearly at the elbow. Both men had also suffered electrical damage, although not as badly as Asajj. Savage had lost an arm at the shoulder, and the tips of some of his horns - it had only been a desperate dodge that saved his neck.

* * *

The Force screamed in warning, and Anakin rolled his fighter sharply to the side as an ARC-170 dropped down behind him and fired. The comms erupted in confused chatter. The vode were going rogue, but not all of them. The chips. Anakin swore profusely, juking hard to avoid another ARC-170. Plo Koon’s voice broke through the comms - they were going to run at the Separatist flag ship - it’s main weapon was an ion cannon, and if they could commandeer it, they could disable the vode without killing them. 

The aethersprites, all Jedi-piloted, formed up with Plo. A guard of de-chipped clones flanked them, blasting drones out of the way as they roared toward the massive Separatist ship. A well placed hit disrupted the power distribution grid, and then the Jedi were boarding the _Malevolence_ with lightsabers bared. 

They cut through droids by the dozens, the hundreds, throwing pressure waves of Force ahead of themselves as they fought their way to the bridge. The helm was long abandoned by the time the Jedi reached the controls, and they quickly set about slicing away what data they could before the failsafes deleted everything, then reprogramming the IDC and configuring the comms so they could hail their own fleet. 

Anakin and a few of the more mechanically inclined visually and manually went over the damaged power couplings, re-routing what the could and repairing as much as possible. The massive ship shuddered as the clones, under the influence of their contingency orders, bombarded the last known location of the Jedi they were trying to kill. Tapping his comm, Anakin passed word when their checks all returned green. At Master Plo’s word, the Republic Star Destroyers winked out, jumping to hyperspace. The ion cannon roared as the ship yawed slowly around to port and the remaining small fighters went dead one by one as their systems shorted out. Now it would be a race against time to secure the mutinying vode before their air ran out.

By the time Anakin and the other Jedi who had participated in the aerial fight made it onto the medcenter, they found the Jedi there harried and harassed, and operating on the vode as fast as they dared. The majority of the vode on the station had already had their chips removed, but not all. There had been fast and dirty hall to hall and room to room fighting when the order to execute the Jedi went out. Someone in the communications center had thankfully thought to record the anomalous message, and it turned out to be the opposing Admiral, Trench, who had relayed the order, a clear indication of collusion between the Sith and the Separatists.

One by one they dragged the vode who had fired on Jedi in from the black, all of them retrieved by Jedi and ordered to Sleep. They were quarantined away from their brethren, and Sai was soon scrubbed up and assisting a more experienced Healer. They opened skull after skull, swiftly but skillfully cutting out chip after chip, freeing the vode from the orders to which the Sith had seen fit to subject them.

* * *

“We have reached supermajority,” Shaak said, her voice resounding like a bell. She rose, turned, knelt facing Plo Koon. “Do you accept your election as Grand Master of the Jedi Order?” Shaak asked in archaic High Galactic. Plo’s surprised breath hissed through his antiox mask, his brow-ridges raising. They felt him reach for the Force, seek guidance. The Force whispered, soft but sure, a warm breath, a bright light. _Yes_ , the Force sang. _Yes_ , yes, _YES_. 

“I accept,” Plo pledged in High Galactic. Shaak Ti nodded, then rose, coming forward to take Plo’s hands in hers. She brushed a warm kiss against his forehead. 

“Force be with you,” Shaak Ti murmured. “I will go report to the vultures.” Plo laughed softly then, tusks twitching in surprised amusement. Far above, the ancient Temple bells began to toll. Little used, they would have been set to ringing in celebratory peals even as Shaak caused the Temple beacon to broadcast on wide band that a supermajority had been achieved. Within the hour, the press corps would gather for the announcement. 

“Meditation you will need,” Yoda said, and hopped down from his seat. Plo rose, and the others did too, giving him quiet blessings and congratulations as the Kel Dor followed Yoda from the room. 

“Force be with you,” they murmured, dipping their heads respectfully. 

“And also with you,” Plo said by rote. All of them could feel that the Master was slightly dazed and off center, his well-earned promotion taking only Master Koon by surprise.

“I announce to you a great joy,” Shaak Ti said regally to the gathered press an hour later. “We have a Grand Master! The Most Wise and Most Compassionate Master, Master Plo Koon, Guardian of the Jedi Order, Sage of the Baran Do, Trained by the Master Tyvokka.” Shaak stepped back and bowed deeply as Plo stepped forward, the many Councillors and advisors and Masters and Knights following behind him. 

“Force be with you,” Plo greeted before any of them could speak. “To all here on Coruscant, and those throughout the galaxy. It is my honour to accept the responsibility offered to me by my respected Jedi colleagues, in guiding our Order forward as the Force wills.” His voice was soft due to his antiox mask, but the reporters were hanging avidly on every word. “Over the years, the Jedi Order has changed, sometimes slowly, sometimes more rapidly. This change is as the Force wills, and I will do my utmost to ensure that as the Force guides, the Order will prepare for a future in service to the betterment of the galaxy.”

* * *

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes, then grinned broadly, straightening as he realized what was tickling at the back of his mind. He had been watching Anakin and Sai instruct a class of Initiates in Shii-Cho, trying not to be too obnoxiously proud of their accomplishments. There had been something itching at him since his return from Utapau though, and it was only now that Obi-Wan realized what it was. Feral was one of the Initiates in the class below, and Obi-Wan would wager a fair sum that the Dathomiri Youngling was meant to be his Padawan. He hadn’t intended to take another student so soon, but he couldn’t help but thrill at the idea either.

Rising, Obi-Wan reached out, nudging at his pair-bond with Mace. The feeling of warmth and comfort and _home_ returned, which meant his partner was awake. Their fight against Grievous hadn’t been without cost. Many of the vode had lost their lives taking Utapau, and Mace had lost his hand to the cyborg General before they could finish him off. 

While drugged up to be fitted with his new prosthetic, Mace had expounded - at length - on the merits of the varactyls they had been using as mounts. Obi-Wan had a feeling he’d be hearing a great deal about large animal husbandry again. He didn’t mind in truth - his own research pursuits tended towards smaller creatures, but megafauna had its own appeal, and with Mace muttering about retiring from the Council entirely, it was likely he’d start picking up some independent research to fill his time. 

“Did you know they’ve found a Zillo beast on Malastare?” Mace asked excitedly when Obi-Wan entered the apartment, and Obi-Wan couldn’t help but laugh. 

“I take it you’re already planning a research trip?” Obi-Wan asked, and Mace shrugged in that way that meant he’d be blushing if his dark complexion allowed for such a thing. 

“They’ve been thought creatures of myth and legend for - generations,” Mace said, waving his datapad, and Obi-Wan smiled, taking the ‘pad and kissing Mace. 

“Sounds interesting. Do you think Feral would enjoy it?” Obi-Wan asked, and Mace blinked, then grinned broadly. “I haven’t asked him yet,” Obi-Wan warned, “and I want to talked to Savage first, make sure -”

“He’ll be delighted,” Mace said fondly. “They both will be - about Feral being your Padawan. And Feral will likely be delighted about the Zillo Beast too. I’ll have to ask him about Dathomir Rancors.” Obi-Wan snorted softly at that, and leaned up to kiss Mace again. Mace kissed back slow and warm, and they soon settled together on the sofa, curled into one another and kissing softly, Mace slowly testing the sensitivity of his new prosthetic. Anakin had helped him tweak it a bit already, and Mace was studiously reworking his Vaapad forms now that he was primarily wielding his lightsaber lefthanded.

With so many recent amputations, Anakin’s expertise was in high demand with both repairs and ‘saber combat form modifications. With Sai at his side helping with the medical side of things, Anakin was spending a few hours every day in the Halls of Healing, helping fit and tweak prosthetics for a number of the Jedi. Sai had quietly voiced the inclination to take that on as her specialty going forward, marrying medicine and machining to achieve almost artful prosthetics.

Slowly, they were finding their path into the brightening present, the echos of the Sith fading with every passing day as the Shadows uncovered and exposed schemes Chancellor Palpatine had been enacting to the detriment of many. Bail Organa had stepped in as Interim-Chancellor by popular acclaim in the Senate, but had insisted that a proper vote be taken shortly. Obi-Wan had a feeling his old friend wouldn’t allow himself to be nominated for the position now that he had an idea how much work it truly entailed, but that was a matter for the Senate, from which the Jedi had by now firmly extricated themselves. It would take time, and effort, but the Jedi would find their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m pulling most of the numbers for the fighter wings aboard a _Venator_ -class Star Destroyer out of my ass, but the rather specific 192 V-19 fighters comes direct from the _Resolute_ s page on wookieepedia.
> 
> Shaak Ti’s announcement to the press and Plo Koon’s short speech are both lifted from Papal announcements, although adapted for a galaxy far far away.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm @wrennette on tumblr, feel free to come say hey to me there too :)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Those Left To Carry On](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12269625) by [bluedragoninamber](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluedragoninamber/pseuds/bluedragoninamber)




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